Coffee and Regrets
by LC1986
Summary: Rory tried to forget what had happened between her and her mother, but every year in early summer, she thought about the one true regret in her life.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi! I'm back again with something new. If you've read my other stories, you know that I like to play the 'what if' game with Rory's life. In this story, everything up until Rory and Lorelai's fight at the end of season five happened. What happened after the fight and how I've changed things will all become clear soon. Happy reading!**

Rory quickly finished her coffee and put the empty cup in the kitchen sink before stopping to stare out the window. It was raining, as usual, but that didn't change the beautiful view. Rory lived in a beautiful craftsman home on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. She'd been living in Seattle for the last twenty-five years and still loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, if she was to be perfectly honest with herself. This time of year always brought back the reminders of the life she left in Connecticut.

Rory tried to forget what had happened between her and her mother, but every year in early summer, she thought about the one true regret in her life. She'd never really made an effort to patch things up with Lorelai, even though she could have gone back to Stars Hollow any time and Lorelai surely wouldn't have turned her away. She made sure Lorelai didn't know where she was after moving away, so Rory always felt it was her fault for never making up. It had been twenty-five years since they'd spoken. Rory didn't like to think about the details of the fight and how much her life had turned out as a result of her choices.

Shortly after moving into her Grandparents' pool house, Rory began looking for jobs and trying to figure out what her next move would be. She was shrouded in self doubt and her self esteem was at an all time low, so when an opportunity to work for the Seattle Times as a fact checker came across her radar, she jumped at the chance. Rory packed all her things and shipped them to Seattle before boarding a plane and leaving Hartford behind her. She knew her sudden departure hurt Emily and Richard. Rory hadn't had the courage to say goodbye, so she left a note in the pool house before she left. She needed to make a fresh start, and that she certainly did.

After arriving in Seattle, Rory quickly got to work and settled into a nice apartment in the city. Rory loved how the city felt; so fresh and young. Plus, it was home to Starbucks Coffee, which she'd quickly become a regular at the shops closest to her apartment and the paper. Rory couldn't help but love a city full of coffee. After a few months, she began to regret her decision to drop out of Yale. She knew she couldn't go back and she loved Seattle, so she enrolled in the University of Washington and went back to school full time spring semester.

Rory made several good friends while studying at the university. She quickly found herself a part of a tight knit group of friends who'd made it their mission to adopt her and make her feel at home in their city. At first, Rory thought the group was a rather odd mix of people, but she soon learned how well they all got along and enjoyed discussing their diverse opinions on politics, religion, and other matters. The group consisted of; Ellen Vincent, who had studied business and was working in a large department store, hoping to be a part of their corporate office; Wes Rogers, who worked at a large organic supermarket; Dave Fitzgerald, who was working as a barista in a small local coffee shop; Rachel Alexander, who was a kindergarten teacher; and Rachel's brother Joel Alexander, who had also studied business and finance and was working at a local hotel, similar in size to Lorelai's inn. Rory made a nice addition to the group and grew very close to Rachel and Joel. She became best friends with Rachel and felt like she was the sister she always wanted.

Joel and Rory started dating shortly before she graduated and were engaged several months later. No one was surprised at how quickly they got engaged because they knew Rory and Joel were perfect for each other. They were married in December at Joel and Rachel's parents' vacation home in the San Juan Islands. It was a small ceremony, but Rory and Joel felt it was a better reflection of who they were than a big fancy church wedding. Rory was a little sad that none of her family attended, but she just wasn't ready to face them yet. Joel tried to convince her that she should contact them, but Rory had made up her mind and that was it. Family was very important to Joel and he had a very close relationship with his parents and sister, so it was a little difficult for him to understand why Rory was so distant form hers. She explained the situation to him and he understood how she felt, but thought she would be better off in the long run to swallow her pride and at least call home. The subject eventually became something they agreed to disagree on.

Joel and Rory loved each other deeply, but were also best friends. They complimented each other well and enjoyed their lives together. Rory earned a promotion to staff reporter shortly after they were married and the couple moved into a house on Queen Anne Hill. Joel had made some good investments in his early twenties and was promoted to assistant manager of the hotel he worked at, so they bought a large house with a view of the city.

Rory was suddenly jolted out of her day dream by her cell phone vibrating on the kitchen counter. It was a text from Joel reminding her to meet him for coffee in a few minutes. Joel usually got to work early, but often met Rory for coffee on her way to work. It was a nice little routine that gave them a chance to talk and connect before the day got too busy.

Rory quickly took the phone and made her way to the front door. As she was putting the phone in her purse, she smiled at the framed picture in the entryway. It had been taken last spring at the Alexander family vacation home in the San Juan Islands. They often took trips to the islands on long weekends and summer vacations; it was a special spot for their family and held many fond memories. Joel was standing with his arm around Rory and the wind blowing his red hair into his deep green eyes. Next to Joel stood his and Rory's son, Ben, who was now twenty-one years old. He looked just like his father, but had his mother's eyes. Ben was currently going to school at the University of Washington like both of his parents and studying business. He dreamed to open his own coffee shop one day. Joel and Rory were both very proud of him. Next to Rory stood their daughter, Catherine, who was nineteen years old and studying at Yale University. Catherine looked a lot like Rory and even had her eyes, but her hair was red like Joel's. She also had a mile wide stubborn streak and was very intelligent. Catherine's dream was to go to an Ivy League school and obtain a law degree. Rory protested when Catherine applied to Yale, but she couldn't force Catherine to change her mind and didn't dare push the issue too far. Ben and Catherine knew about their mother's rift with her family, but the topic was rarely discussed around the house.

Rory's phone buzzed again and she quickly gathered her things and headed out the door to meet Joel for coffee.

XXXXX

Joel stood at the front desk of the hotel and smiled as guests came and went. He noticed a familiar looking woman enter the lobby as a younger man followed after her with what appeared to be their luggage. She walked up to Joel and his smile faded as he tried to remember where he'd seen her before.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Oh, yes, it's just that you look really familiar. Have you stayed with us before?" Joel asked.

"Nope, this is my first time in Seattle. You must have me confused with someone else." She said politely.

"Could be." He noted as the young man approached the desk. "Are you two checking in?"

"Yes, but we have two rooms." She said.

"Ok, what's the last name on each room?" Joel asked.

"Gilmore-Danes and Danes"

"Ok" Joel said while looking their reservations up in the computer. "We've got you booked in rooms next door to each other on the fifth floor. Would you rather have connecting rooms?"

"No, that's ok." The young man, whom Joel now assumed was the woman's son, said quickly.

"Geez Patrick." She joked. "At least pretend that you want to be here with me."

"Sorry Mom, it's just awkward checking into a hotel together." He said.

"Should I go stand out on the street while you get our keys?"

"No, it's fine." He said and turned to Joel. "Sorry."

"Oh, it's no problem. I don't know that I'd like to check into a hotel with my Mom either. People always tend to assume things." Joel joked while handing Patrick their keys. "Ok Ms. Gilmore-Danes and Mr. Danes, here are your keys. Ms. Gilmore-Danes, you're in room 506. Mr. Danes, you're in room 507." He paused briefly as they took the keys from him. "Ms. Gilmore-Danes, you mentioned that this your first time in Seattle. If you'd like, I can give you several dinner recommendations and sights to see."

"Thank you and please, call me Lorelai." She said as Joel's eyes widened. "We're actually here for the Independent Hotel Association convention." She continued before stopping at Joel's strange expression. "Something wrong with the Independent Hotel Association?" She asked curiously.

"No, not at all." Joel said while his mind raced and he tried not to freak out in front of her and her son. "This hotel is actually a member of the IHA." He explained while recovering and trying to act professional. "The convention is being held over at the convention center downtown. Would you like me to get a cab for you?"

"Sure, that would be great." Lorelai said.

"Ok, I'll let you go up to your rooms first and have a cab waiting for you in a few minutes." He stated. "By the way, my name is Joel Alexander. I'm the manager here. Let me know if you need anything at all. I'd be more than happy to help."

"Thanks Joel." She said before smiling and turning toward the elevator. Her son followed with their bags before a bell hop came and assisted him. After the elevator doors closed, Joel had a co-worker cover the front desk as he went into his office.

Joel loosened his tie as he sat in his desk chair. He rubbed his forehead and tried to figure out if Lorelai Gilmore-Danes was who he thought she was. He looked at the clock and remembered he and Rory had a coffee date in a few minutes and quickly sent her a reminder text before taking a deep breath and standing up. "This is going to be an interesting coffee date" he said aloud as he straightened out his suit and walked out the office door before telling the staff to call a cab for Lorelai and letting them know he was stepping out for a while.

**AN: Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think of this. This idea has been in my head for a while and I'm a little nervous about posting it. Should I continue with this idea? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. **

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	2. Chapter 2

"Hey" Rory said while taking a seat at the table Joel was sitting at. They usually had their coffee dates at a coffee shop two blocks from the hotel Joel worked at and also happened to be about a block from The Times offices. Joel almost always arrived first and had a cup of coffee for each of them by the time Rory got there.

"Hey" Joel said while standing and kissing her before sitting back down. Rory took her coat off and placed it on the back of her chair before sitting down and taking a sip of the coffee.

"So, how is your morning going?" She asked before taking another sip of coffee.

"It's been good. I had this really strange thing happen just before I left though. It's really weird." Joel explained before drinking his coffee.

"Another weirdo guest?" Rory questioned.

"No, not really." He said and then paused to think of the best way to explain the situation.

"Joel, is something wrong? Did something happen?" Rory asked while looking at him and reaching out to take his hand in hers across the table.

Joel swallowed this lump in his throat and tried to explain. "I had a woman check in and she looked really familiar, but I figured she'd stayed with us before, so I brushed it off. Her adult son was with her and he looked sort of familiar too. I couldn't place it, but then I heard their names. I think I know who they are, but I'm not sure. I think you know them, or at least the woman." He said while Rory listened intently. "Their names were Lorelai Gilmore-Danes and Patrick Danes."

Rory's face turned white and her eyes went wide. She stared at Joel for several minutes before she regained the ability to speak. "You mean…" She started to say while Joel nodded in agreement.

"I think I met your Mom." He said quietly.

"Wow. I don't even know what to say." Rory said in disbelief. "What is she doing in Seattle and who is Patrick Danes?"

"She said they're going to the Independent Hotel Association convention downtown. Patrick is her son."

"Wow." Rory said again as Joel squeezed her hand and nodded.

"Yeah. This is big."

"I never expected her to come to Seattle. Do you think she knows I'm here?"

"I don't think so." Joel answered. "She seemed pretty focused on embarrassing Patrick and getting to the convention."

"What should I do?" Rory whispered.

"It's up to you Rory. You know that I'll support whatever decision that you make. We've discussed the rift between you and your family, so you know where I stand on the issue and that I'm not going to force you to do anything. I really think you should contact them. You know how important family is to me." He explained to Rory. "It seems like this is destiny or something since your Mom is here without knowing you are. Maybe this is the right time to break the ice with her. When are the two of you going to be in the same place again? This might be your shot Rory." Joel said sincerely.

"I think you're right." Rory responded. "I might not get another chance."

"Ok, so you're going to see your Mom again. Wow, how long has it been? Twenty-five years?"

"Yup. Twenty-five years." Rory confirmed.

"Twenty-five years is a long time."

"Yes, it certainly is."

XXXXX

After having coffee with Joel and discussing the issue further, Rory decided she wanted to wait until the next day to initiate contact with Lorelai and Patrick. She went to work for the day, but found herself daydreaming and thinking about her Mom all day long. Around lunch she made a few calls and rounded up her closest girlfriends; Ellen and Rachel, for an after work coffee date.

The three women sat around a small table in one of their favorite coffee shops sipping coffee until Ellen finally broke the silence.

"Rory, is everything alright?" Ellen asked with concern evident in her voice.

"Yeah, you've been awfully quiet since we got here." Rachel noted. "And you're only on your first cup of coffee when you should at least be on number two."

"Everything is fine. I'm just trying to sort through something." Rory explained vaguely. She took a deep breath before launching into a more detailed account of the morning's events. "I found out this morning that my Mom is in town."

"What?" Ellen and Rachel gasped.

"Yeah. Apparently she checked into Joel's hotel this morning with my brother."

"Brother? You never said anything about a brother." Ellen said.

"I didn't know I had a brother until this morning." Rory answered.

"Wow. That's a lot to take in. Your Mom, whom you haven't seen or spoken to in twenty-five years, shows up at your husband's work with a brother you knew nothing about. Wow. How old is he?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know, but Joel said he looks to be in his mid to early twenties. Maybe a couple years older than Ben." Rory explained.

"Did you go see her?" Ellen asked.

"No, Joel just told me about it at coffee this morning so I've been thinking about what to do all day. That's actually why I asked you both to meet me here. I can't decide if I want to see my Mom again or just pretend like this morning never happened."

"What did Joel say?" Rachel quickly asked.

"He said that he supported whatever I wanted to do, but I know that he really wants me to contact her. Joel has always urged me to reach out to her." Rory said.

Ellen and Rachel nodded while thinking about the situation. "I know you and your Mom had a huge blow out fight, but that was a long time ago. Are you honestly still holding onto everything from back then?" Ellen asked.

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Rory tried to tell them. "We both really hurt each other and it wasn't something I could just get over. It took me years to let go of some of the anger I felt toward my Mom. By the time I could even consider talking to her I felt like it was too late and that she wouldn't want to talk to me. I guess I just stuffed my feelings down and focused on life here. It was easier to just go on with life."

"That makes sense, but are you really sure that you want to pass this opportunity up?" Ellen asked. "No offense or anything, but none of us are getting any younger here. I know you said your Mom was really young when she had you, but she's got to be in her late fifties or early sixties now, right? Do you want to ignore this chance and never see her again? Is it really worth it to continue life not knowing?"

"I think Ellen's right Rory." Rachel agreed. "Let's say you contact her and do your best to patch things up, but she refuses. You'd end up in the same place you are now. Even if she completely rejects you, at least you'll know for sure and you won't spend the rest of your life regretting passing this up."

"I don't think I could take it if she completely rejected me." Rory said quietly.

"Well, I think you need to find out." Ellen said. "Rachel and I don't know your Mom, but she raised you to be an amazing woman, so she couldn't be pure evil." Ellen joked.

"Yeah, how bad could she really be Rory?" Rachel added.

Rory shook her head and sighed. "She's not bad at all. In fact, up until I left we were best friends. That's part of why this is all so painful. I loved her so much and I hurt her. I'm not sure she could forgive me for what I did."

"Rory, she's your Mom. I'm sure she forgives you." Rachel explained. "You're obviously torn up by the guilt of what happened. Don't you want to unburden yourself from that?"

"Of course I do. I don't like feeling this way whenever I think about my Mom. I don't like that I put this distance between us. I don't like that my Mom doesn't know Ben and Catherine. They're her Grandchildren; she should know them. She should know Joel; I think she'd really like him." Rory said. "It's just that I'm so afraid of what she is going to do or say. I'm so scared that she'll be angry with me."

"That's completely understandable and you're perfectly justified in feeling that way." Ellen said. "But Rory, you never going to get out from under those feelings if you don't contact you Mom."

"I think you really need to do this Rory." Rachel insisted softly.

Rory nodded and thought for a moment. "I guess you're both right. I'll sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning."

"Ok, but don't hesitate to call either of us if you need to talk more." Ellen said. "I'm really sorry, but I need to get home. Love you Rory." She said before hugging her friend.

"Yeah, I should probably go too." Rory agreed and hugged both Ellen and Rachel. "Thank you both so much for hearing me out."

"Anytime" Ellen smiled before walking out with them.

XXXXXX

Rory drove home and had a very quiet dinner with Joel. They didn't speak much, but Joel could practically read her thoughts on the subject. After dinner, Rory and Joel spent the night in the living room with the fireplace crackling away. Their son, Ben, came over for the night after Joel had called him and explained the situation. Rory called Catherine right after dinner and they had discussed the impending meeting for over an hour before Rory finally felt confident that she was doing the right thing. Ben had also encouraged her to go through with everything and assured her that no matter how Lorelai reacted that he, Catherine, and Joel would support her and be there for her.

Joel and Rory worked out a plan for Joel to pull Lorelai aside or somehow get her a message that someone wanted to meet with her. Joel was going to explain why he was so awkward and that he knew who she was. Hopefully, Lorelai, and maybe Patrick, would want to meet with Rory and they could all meet at Rory and Joel's house.

Rory stood in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her hands as she stared out the window. It was well after dark and Joel had gone to bed several hours earlier. She said she'd be in bed a few minutes after he kissed her goodnight, but hadn't left the spot she currently stood in. All she had been able to think about all day was her Mom. She tried to get some work done at the office, but she was too distracted. Instead, she'd made a list of questions and thoughts about her Mom. Her mind was racing and wouldn't calm down no matter what she did. Her list making had continued after she talked with Ben and Catherine and was currently sitting on the counter next to her.

Rory took a deep breath and looked over the list. She ripped the pages out of the note pad and set them aside before looking at the second list she'd started to make. It was entitled "Patrick Danes" and was completely blank except for a question on the first line; "brother?" Rory had made Joel recount every detail about the young man he'd said was her mother's son. Joel didn't know exactly how hold the young man was, but said he seemed to be in his mid twenties. Rory wondered how soon her Mom had waited before moving on with her life after she left. It seemed odd to Rory that Lorelai would just move on and have a son with Luke so soon after she left. She knew it was a bit arrogant of her to assume that Lorelai would put her life on hold all these years. Rory certainly hadn't put her life on hold, so she didn't really expect Lorelai to, but the thought of Lorelai having a whole other family hit Rory with mixed emotions. She wanted her Mom to be happy, but she also didn't like the fact that her Mom might have replaced her with another child. Being a Mom herself, Rory knew it wasn't possible to simple substitute one child for another, but she could help but feel like she had been forgotten.

Despite her mixed emotions, Rory couldn't help but wonder who Patrick was and what he was like. If he really was her brother, she wanted to meet him and get to know him. Having a brother seemed like a strange concept to Rory at this point in her life. She'd always wanted to have a sibling when she was younger, but didn't expect it to happen like this.

The thought of a brother with the last name 'Danes' also brought up a lot of questions in Rory's mind. She assumed if her Mom and Luke had a son that they were married at some point. It made Rory sad to think that she'd missed the wedding, if there was one. Although, her Mom had missed Rory and Joel's wedding, so maybe that was part of Rory's punishment for running away. Thinking of punishment, Rory suddenly felt weak at the knees when she thought about seeing her Mom after all so long. She dreaded telling her Mom about her life simply because it would hurt Lorelai to know that Rory was happy and had a good life. On the other hand, Rory was really proud of everything she had accomplished and she was especially proud of her family. She knew that if Lorelai was able to forgive her that she would love Joel, Ben, and Catherine. Rory felt bad that Ben and Catherine didn't know their Grandmother, but she'd justified her feelings for so long saying to herself that Joel's parents were really good Grandparents and that's all the kids needed. She knew that wasn't true though. Rory's thoughts wandered back to when Catherine was about twelve years old and had to create a family tree for a school project.

"_Mom" Catherine said as she bounced up to Rory as she sat on the couch drinking a cup of coffee. Catherine held up a poster she was working on so Rory could look at her work. "I'm almost done with the family tree!"_

"_That looks really good Catherine! Good job." Rory said as she looked over the poster. Catherine had spent hours carefully pasting everyone's picture onto the board and neatly writing their names and how they were related to her._

"_I just need your help and then I'll be finished." Catherine explained. _

"_Ok, what do you need?"_

"_Pictures of your parents." Catherine said simply. "Dad's parents are there" She pointed out on the poster "so it will look uneven if your parents aren't on the poster."_

"_Oh, uh, ok." Rory agreed nervously. _

"_So, can you please tell me where their pictures are so I can put them on the poster?"_

"_Um, ok. I'll go look in the office."_

"_I'll help." Catherine added as she followed Rory from the living room to the office. Rory opened the closet that had turned into storage for a few old boxes and took the top box out. She opened it up and swallowed the lump in her throat as old memories came flooding back to her. She's only kept one box of pictures and miscellaneous items from her life back in Connecticut and rarely opened the box to look at its contents. She quickly rummaged through the items until pulling out a shoebox of loose photographs. Rory never had been one to spend hours making photo albums, so she'd just stuffed these pictures in a box for safe keeping. Rory slowly opened the lid off the shoebox as Catherine knelt down next to her. The memories began to sting as she looked at the first couple, so Rory quickly pulled out the first picture of her Mom and the first picture of her Dad that she could find and thrust them into Catherine's hands. _

"_Here, these should work." Rory said as she tried to put the lid back on the shoebox. _

"_Wait. I want to look at those." Catherine said and took the box from her Mother. _

"_Catherine! You don't just pull things out of people's hands like that." Rory scolded her. _

"_I'm sorry Mom. I wasn't trying to be grabby." Catherine explained. "I've never seen these before. Is it ok if I look at them?"_

_Rory took a deep breath and sat down on the carpet closer to her daughter. "Alright" She practically had to force out. _

_Catherine smiled and took the lid back off the box and began to sift through the random pictures. "Is this your Mom?" She asked sweetly while holding up a picture of Lorelai standing next to Rory at her high school graduation. _

"_Yes" Rory answered. "That's my high school graduation."_

"_You both look really happy." Catherine noted. "So, that's my Grandma?"_

"_Yes" Rory said. "Lorelai. Grandma Lorelai."_

"_Like your name?"_

"_Yes" Rory smiled. "When I was born she thought that if men could name babies after themselves that women could too. So, she named me after herself."_

"_How come you didn't name me Lorelai to carry on the tradition?" Catherine asked. _

_Rory cringed slightly at the thought of having to explain everything to Catherine, but she couldn't continue to withhold the truth. "Well Catherine, that's kind of hard to explain. You know that your Grandma and I don't talk, right?"_

"_Yes"_

"_Well, that's part of it. If I had named you Lorelai you would have reminded me of her and that made me sad. Plus, I wanted you to be your own person and not have any expectations placed on your because of your name. It's very important to be yourself and be allowed to be yourself Catherine." Rory explained. "It's very repressive to have expectations placed on you. I hope you never feel that way."_

"_Did you feel that way? Is that why you don't talk to your Mom?"_

"_Partly. I made a few bad decisions and my Mom was mad at me, so we had a big fight and I moved out. Eventually, I moved here to Seattle and met your Dad." Rory explained._

"_And you haven't spoken to her since?" Catherine asked._

"_Nope"_

"_Wow. That's a long time." Catherine stated. "I'd be really sad if I didn't talk to you for that long."_

"_So would I." Rory agreed and hugged her daughter. "Please promise me that we'll always talk and never run away from each other ok?"_

"_Deal." Catherine agreed. Rory released her and looked down at the box of photos again. _

"_This is my Dad." Rory said as she held out a picture to Catherine. "His name is Christopher Hayden."_

"_You don't talk to him either?"_

"_Nope. Unfortunately, when I broke things off with my Mom I also broke off contact with my entire family." Rory explained while picking up a picture of her Grandparents. "Richard and Emily Gilmore; my Grandparents and your Great-Grandparents."_

"_Can I put this on the poster too?" _

"_Sure. You'll have to ask Grandma and Grandpa Alexander for pictures of their parents too. It could be fun to see all the old pictures they have." Rory said._

" _Yeah. I'm going to call Grandma and ask if she can come over tonight and bring the pictures." Catherine said quickly before jumping to her feet and running out of the room. Rory smiled at Catherine's enthusiasm and began placing the remaining pictures back in the shoe box before closing the larger box and placing it back in the closet. _

Rory sighed at the memory. It wasn't the last time Catherine or Ben had asked about Rory's family. As they grew up they seemed to develop a deep curiosity for the Gilmore family, which Rory tried to stifle, much to her own guilt. The feelings of guilt, fear, and regret swirled around in her mind until Joel startled her by wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you babe." He whispered. "It's late."

"I know." Rory sighed. "I'm just thinking about everything with my Mom."

"I know it's a lot to think about, but don't over analyze it too much."

"You know that's exactly what I'm doing." Rory sighed and leaned back against his chest.

"Well, after twenty some years of marriage I've gotten to know you a little bit." Joel joked. "I love you Rory. No matter what happens with your Mom, I'll always be here for you."

"Awww." Rory joked while turning around to face Joel. "I love you too Joeley Bear." She said while smiling at him before beginning to sing "And I….will always love you….."

Joel laughed and tightened his grip on her. "We're so cheesy."

"Yeah, but I like it that way." Rory nodded.

"Good because I'm old and set in my ways." Joel joked as Rory rolled her eyes. "Let's go to bed. I think you've probably worried enough for the night."

"You're right, but that doesn't mean I'll be able to shut my mind off and go to sleep."

"I know." Joel confirmed before releasing Rory from his grip and walking her to their bedroom with one arm around her waist.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! I really appreciate feedback. Here's the chapter you've been waiting for….**

The next morning, Joel arrived extra early to work. Rory had taken the day off and waited nervously at home for any news of the situation. Joel hoped he could pull all this off and end up with everyone being happy at the end of the day. He left his post at the front desk and walked over to the free coffee station in the lobby area. He took a large cup and poured the coffee as Lorelai suddenly walked up to the display.

"Good Morning Joel" She said.

"Good Morning Lorelai. Here take this cup. I'll pour another, unless you'd rather have a smaller cup." He offered while extending the cup to her.

"Oh, thanks. This is perfect actually. I drink a lot of coffee." She said while taking the cup from him.

"You've come to the right city then. We drink a lot of coffee." Joel said while pouring himself a large cup of coffee. "Should I pour a cup for your son, will he be joining you?"

"He'll be down in a minute, but he doesn't drink coffee." Lorelai informed him before taking a big sip of coffee. "This is good."

"This is Seattle; of course the coffee is good." Joel joked while trying to come up with a way to talk to Lorelai about Rory. "How are you enjoying the city so far? Seen much of anything but Starbucks and the Convention Center?"

"Not really. Patrick is all business on this trip." Lorelai said while smiling. "We'll probably do all our sightseeing on Sunday before we leave."

"Good. Seattle's a fun city." He said while nodding. "Hey Lorelai, I just wanted to apologize for my awkward behavior yesterday." Joel explained while motioning for her to follow him to the dining room and pulling a chair out for her before sitting down opposite of her.

"It's not that big of a deal. Happens to all of us." Lorelai said.

"Well, the reason I was acting so weird was that you looked really familiar to me. Then when you said your name was Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, it all came together." He explained while Lorelai looked at Joel with a curious expression on her face. "I know someone else with the name Lorelai Gilmore."

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, only her last name isn't Gilmore anymore and she doesn't go by Lorelai; she goes by Rory." Joel said and watched at Lorelai took in his words.

"Rory" She whispered while her eyes filled with tears. "You know my daughter, Rory?"

"Yes, I'm her husband." Joel said and handed Lorelai a napkin as she began to cry softly. "I've seen the pictures Rory has of you, but it's been a while, so I wasn't sure if you were the same person until I heard your name."

Lorelai wiped her eyes and looked at Joel. "I'm sorry, this is a lot to take in. Rory lives in Seattle and is married to you?"

"Yes and we have two amazing kids." Joel confirmed and pulled his wallet out before handing a picture of his family to Lorelai. She took it with a shaking hand and examined it closely before holding her hand up to her mouth as a few more tears escaped her eyes.

"Is everything ok here?" Patrick asked firmly as he walked over to the table Lorelai and Joel were sitting at. He stood next to Lorelai and put his hand on her shoulder while staring at Joel and waiting for someone to explain why his mother was crying.

Lorelai wiped her face again and grabbed Patrick's hand. She motioned for him to sit after he released his grip on her shoulder and relaxed slightly as he sat next to her. "Patty, hun" she began and he grimaced at the childhood nickname she used. Lorelai extended the picture of Rory and her family toward Patrick with a shaky hand and he looked at it before she said, "Rory". His eyes went wide at the mention of his rarely talked about older sister and he took the picture from her.

Patrick examined the picture for a minute before looking up at Joel.

"I'm Rory's husband." Joel explained as he tried to figure out what was going through Patrick's head. "Those are our kids." He added while pointing to the picture. "Ben and Catherine."

"wow…huh" was all Patrick said as he took in the news.

"The Danes men aren't much for words." Lorelai said while taking the picture back from Patrick. "They're beautiful Joel." She complimented before becoming a little more emotional. "Can we see Rory?"

"Of course. I told Rory that I met you the other day and she wants to see you. She took the day off work today, so she's home. I can drive you to our house right now if you'd like." Joel offered.

"Yes, please." Lorelai said and stood up from the table. Patrick and Joel also stood and the group began to walk to the lobby.

"I'll just to get my car from the parking garage and meet you out front in a few minutes." Joel explained as Lorelai and Patrick nodded in agreement.

"Uh, wow. This is so crazy. Rory lives here. Are you ready for this?" Patrick asked his mother as they waited near the front door of the hotel.

"I think so. I'm really nervous. How do you think she'll react?" Lorelai said quickly.

"I don't know. I guess you'll find out in a few minutes." Patrick shrugged. "Rory must want to see you again and talk to you. Otherwise she wouldn't have had her husband arrange all this. She would have just ignored it and we'd never know who Joel was." He explained before turning and looking at his mother. "Joel's my brother in law. I have a niece and nephew."

"Did you just now realize that Patty?" Lorelai joked.

"No, I know we are related, it just now hit me though." He explained while rolling his eyes as Joel pulled his car up to the hotel and got out.

"oh, what about the convention?" Lorelai quickly asked Patrick.

"Doesn't matter." Patrick shrugged and waved his hand in dismissal of the topic.

Minutes later, Patrick leaned forward in his seat to touch Lorelai's elbow as she sat in the front seat of Joel's car. She turned back and smiled nervously at him before placing her other hand on his.

"You ok?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah, just nervous and excited." Lorelai answered.

"For what it's worth, Rory's in the same boat. She could hardly sleep last night." Joel added.

"I'm just not sure how she's going to react. It's been so long and we didn't part well." Lorelai said.

"I know." Joel said as they pulled into the driveway of his and Rory's house.

"Wow. Nice place." Patrick said as they all got out of the car. "Beautiful view of the city."

"Thanks. We like it." Joel said as he locked the car and led them up to the front door. "Do you mind waiting outside for just a second?"

"No problem." Lorelai said while fidgeting.

Joel nodded and went inside while Patrick and Lorelai stood on the porch near the front door.

"Rory?" Joel asked while walking into the living room.

"In the office" Rory answered.

Joel walked into the office and planted a quick kiss on Rory's check before she stood up from her desk and looked behind him. "Are they here?"

"Waiting just outside the front door. I wanted to make sure you were ready." He said.

"Nervous, but ready. Let's go." Rory said while walking out of the office and into the living room. She stood near the fireplace as Joel went to the door. He looked back at her and she gave him a reassuring nod as he stood at the door.

Joel opened the door and ushered Lorelai and Patrick inside and led them to the living room. He stepped out of the way as he entered and Lorelai gasped as she saw Rory. "Rory" she whispered before dropping her purse and reaching out to embrace her daughter.

Rory didn't say anything, but quickly reached for Lorelai and pulled her into a tight embrace. Joel smiled as they embraced, but after several minutes, he pulled Patrick into the kitchen to help make some coffee. He found some juice for Patrick and they each leaned up against a counter and nodded while drinking their beverages.

"So" Joel said in an attempt to break the ice. "You're my wife's brother, which makes you my brother in law."

"Yup" Patrick confirmed. "Bet this is kind of a shocker. Surprise, you've got a brother!" He joked.

"Yeah, as if this situation isn't already complicated. Now Rory's going to have to adjust to having a brother she knew nothing about for the past, what twenty some odd years?" Joel noted.

"Twenty-four."

Joel nodded and then asked, "Did you know about Rory?"

"Yeah, I mainly heard about her from my Dad. Mom didn't really talk much about her, but she never tried to hide the fact that we had an older sister." Patrick explained.

"We?"

"My brothers and sister."

"huh, well this day certainly is full of surprises. How many siblings do you have?" Joel asked.

"Five. Four brothers and a sister."

"Big family, wow. You've all got the same Mom and Dad?"

"Yeah, the famous Luke and Lorelai." Patrick explained before finishing off his juice.

"Famous?"

"Well, at least in the town we live in."

"Sounds like this Danes family is a pretty interesting. I'll have to get to know you all." Joel noted.

"Oh, I have a feeling that you'll be getting sick of us after a while."

"We should probably see if those two are doing ok in the other room. It's been a few minutes since Rory had coffee we might have to give her an IV to revive her." Joel laughed and Patrick snickered at the statement.

"They're for sure related then. Mom's the same way."

"Well, let's get this coffee in there then." Joel suggested before pouring two cups and placing them on a tray with his and carrying it to the living room. When the men returned to the living room they found Rory and Lorelai still holding each other. Joel placed the tray on the coffee table and sat in a leather captains chair near the fireplace. Patrick followed suit and sat in the chair next to Joel.

As Rory smelled the coffee, she finally spoke, "Mom, do you want some coffee?"

"Of course" Lorelai said as she released her grip on her oldest child. Before pulling away completely, Lorelai reached out and cupped Rory's face with her hands. "You look beautiful Rory."

"I've got a few wrinkles around the eyes now." Rory joked. "And a few gray hairs."

"Beautiful" Lorelai said firmly and kissed Rory's cheek. "Now, where's that coffee." She smiled and walked over toward the coffee table to take one of the cups of coffee.

"Hi Rory, I'm Patrick." Patrick said while standing up from the chair and extending his hand to Rory.

"Nice to meet you Patrick." Rory said while taking his hand. She held his hand for a little longer than a normal handshake before release it as she looked at him. He looked a lot like what Rory imagined a young Luke to look like except that Patrick was a little taller than she remembered Luke and not as gruff looking. Patrick was clean shaven and his dark, somewhat curly, hair was a little shaggy, but still considered short. His eyes were identical to Lorelai's. He wore a stripped collared shirt under a light weight sweater and jeans. Rory had expected a carbon copy of Luke in appearance and dress, but for as much as Patrick looked like Luke, he definitely didn't dress like him.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I should have introduced you." Lorelai said, tearing Rory away from her examination of Patrick as she down on the couch. Rory quickly joined her and the two sat closely to each other. "Rory, this is your brother Patrick Danes. Luke and my son." Lorelai explained while putting her arm around Rory's shoulders.

"It's nice to finally meet you Rory. I've heard a lot about you." Patrick said while sitting down on the other side of Rory. Joel smiled and sipped the coffee in the cup he was holding as his wife reunited with her family.

Rory had a million questions buzzing around in her head and wasn't sure where to start. She leaned into her mother's side after picking up a cup of coffee from the coffee table. Lorelai and Rory both sipped their coffee before Rory broke the silence, "I've got a ton of questions, but I'm not sure where to start. Is it ok if I just jump right in?"

"Sure" Lorelai responded.

"So, you married Luke obviously. When?"

Lorelai hesitated slightly before responding, "just after you left. We've been married almost twenty-five years."

Rory was a bit taken aback by how soon her mother and Luke married and wondered why it was so fast. "That quick?" She asked trying to refrain from asking if her Mom had purposely waited until she left to get married. Rory knew they would discuss her leaving, but she didn't want to add any dynamite, so to speak, to the conversation just yet.

"Yeah, well it turned out that the pregnancy scare I had wasn't really a scare. I was pregnant with Patrick, so Luke wanted to get married before he was born." Lorelai explained before Patrick blushed slightly.

"Oh, that makes sense I guess. So, Patrick, you're twenty-four then?" Rory asked and Patrick nodded in confirmation.

"And almost a carbon copy of his father." Lorelai added. "Rory, I didn't mean to exclude you from the wedding or hide your brother form you. I just didn't know what to do and then when I was ready to discuss everything with you, you were gone." She explained while looking down at her coffee.

"It was a long time ago Mom. We both did things that we shouldn't have and hurt each other. Can we put that aside for a moment and just catch up on life?" Rory asked hopefully.

"Sure" Lorelai responded.

"So, you're married to Luke and you have a twenty-four year old son." Rory stated.

"Yes." Lorelai confirmed before looking at Patrick and then back down at her coffee. "Well, uh, we've actually got six kids. Patri-"

"Six!" Rory exclaimed in surprise, cutting her Mom off. "Holy cow Mom!"

Lorelai snickered at Rory's response before smiling and shaking her head. "Yes, it's quite the crazy crew."

"Yeah, wow. Six kids. Six!" Rory exclaimed. "Joel, six kids!" She said again as Joel laughed at her shock.

"I know. I had them all." Lorelai joked. "Anyways, Patrick here is the oldest. Then there's Will who's twenty-two, Sam who's twenty-one, Jonathan is twenty and Adam and Abby are eighteen."

"Wow" Rory said as Lorelai quickly got up and went to her get her purse. She returned and pulled a picture of the family out of her wallet before setting the purse on the floor again.

Rory held the picture and stared at it with tears in her eyes before she spoke, "they're beautiful Mom. You and Luke look so happy."

"We are." Lorelai said. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt for being happy during Rory's absence. Deep down, she had desperately missed her daughter, but she had found a way to be happy with her and Luke's family.

Rory carefully set the picture down before going to the fireplace and retrieving a framed picture from the mantel. "These are our babies." Rory said while handing Lorelai a family picture of herself, Joel, Ben, and Catherine.

"They're not babies anymore." Lorelai said while examining it.

"No, they're not." Rory confirmed. "Ben's twenty-one and Catherine is nineteen."

"Can I meet them?" Lorelai asked with a small childlike voice.

"Sure, but only Ben lives nearby. Catherine is off at school." Rory said as a black Labrador came running into the living room. Joel quickly jumped up to stop the dog from startling their guests. He held the dog by the collar as he sat back down.

"This here is Drake. He's really friendly." Joel explained as Patrick reached out to pet the dog.

"You have a dog?" Lorelai asked skeptically.

"Yes. All we need is a white picket fence and we'll be livin' the dream." Rory joked. "He's actually Ben's dog, but we keep him here since Ben's living on campus. He goes to the University of Washington and is studying business. He wants to open his own coffee shop in a few years." Rory said proudly.

"A man after my own heart." Lorelai said. "What about Catherine. Where does she go to school?"

Rory was dreading telling her Mom that her daughter was attending Yale, but she couldn't put it off any longer. "Well, she's hoping to be a lawyer someday. She's actually going to Yale right now."

"What?" Lorelai said in shock. "My granddaughter is living less than an hour from me and I've never even met her? I didn't even know she existed until today! I could have seen her and not even know it."

"I doubt you've met. She studies a lot and mainly stays in New Haven. She said she goes to Hartford sometimes, but not often." Rory explained. "Mom, I really wasn't trying to hurt you by not saying anything about Catherine going to Yale. I tried to talk her out of it in fact, but she's so stubborn. Catherine set her sights on Yale and wouldn't even look at another school." Rory tried to explain. "She knows about you and that you live in Stars Hollow. I've never hidden you from the kids. Once they were older I made sure they knew how to contact you if they ever wanted to. I'm sure Catherine would have tried at some point. When we dropped her off at school, I got a map and gave her directions to Stars Hollow."

"You came back?" Lorelai whispered.

"Yeah." Rory admitted while looking down. "Mom, I tried to get up the nerve to go see you, but I just couldn't. I was so afraid of what you'd think or do. I just wasn't ready to do it yet. Believe me, I've regretted not seeing you since the day I left. Mom, I've been so stupid and foolish for letting our disagreement turn into this. It's my biggest regret. I wish I could take it all back." Rory said as tears fell from her eyes.

Lorelai didn't say anything, but pulled Rory into a hug and gently rubbed her back until Rory stopped crying.

"Can you ever forgive me?" Rory asked as she wiped her eyes and looked up at her mother.

"Of course I forgive you sweetie. I love you and nothing is ever going to change that. I've missed you so much and I'd give anything to have that time back. I made a lot of mistake too and I should have done more to find you. I'm to blame too. Can you forgive me?"

Rory nodded and hugged Lorelai tightly again. "How is everyone else?" Rory asked as they released each other and sat up straight again.

"Everyone in Stars Hollow is fine. Nothing's changed much. The Danes family is the one major change." Lorelai answered.

"What about Grandma and Grandpa?"

Lorelai looked down and took a deep breath as she tried to explain gently, "sweets, I'm sorry but they're both gone. Grandpa died about two years after you left. He had a major heart attack. Grandma had a stroke in her sleep about ten years later. I'm really sorry."

Rory knew it was unlikely that her grandparents were still living, but it still stung to hear that they were gone. She never got to say goodbye and the last memories she had were of hurting them when she left. Rory nodded for a minute before taking a deep breath and pulling herself together. "What about Dad? Have you spoken to him recently?"

"You mean they didn't contact you?" Lorelai asked. Rory shook her head before Lorelai explained further. "Well, your Dad and I didn't really talk much after I married Luke. I only saw him a few times. About a year ago, I got a call from a lawyer. I'm really sorry to be the one to tell you this, Rory, but your Dad died in a car accident last year. The lawyers were looking for you, but I guess they never contacted you?"

"What?" Rory stammered as a tear slid down her cheek. "They're all gone?" She whispered as a few more tears escaped her eyes and Joel quickly got up and walked over to the couch. Patrick stood up and moved out of Joel's way as he sat next to Rory and pulled her into his arms. Rory began to sob into his chest as he held her tightly and stroked her hair.

"Patrick, can you go into the kitchen and get the coffee pot and refill these cups?" Joel asked Patrick as he turned his head to look at him. "Grab the brownies off the counter in there too."

Patrick quickly did as he was told and went into the kitchen to gather the requested items. Lorelai seemed frozen in her spot next to Rory. She wanted to reach out and pull Rory into her lap and sooth her like she did when Rory was a child, but the action seemed foreign now. As Lorelai observed Joel, it was clear that he knew her much better now than Lorelai did. He knew exactly how to comfort her and how to hold her to make everything better. Lorelai certainly could have tried to make Rory feel better, but her efforts seemed futile. She felt tears begin to form in her own eyes at the thought of how little she knew Rory now.

"Mom" Patrick said and startled Lorelai out of her thoughts as he handed her a fresh cup of coffee. Lorelai took the cup and thanked Patrick while continuing to watch Joel. Patrick set the pot of coffee down on the coffee table after refilling Rory's cup and setting a plate of brownies down. He grabbed a box of tissue off the coffee table and handed it to Joel who thanked him and slowly moved Rory so that he could wipe her face. Joel didn't say a word, but seemed to speak volumes through his eyes to her. Rory nodded and took a tissue from Joel and blew her nose.

"Here" Joel said to Rory as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Thanks" Rory chocked out before sipping the coffee slowly. "I can't believe how stupid I've been. I never got to say goodbye to them."

"I know." Joel whispered sadly. "I'm sorry babe." He said as she snuggled into his side and he put his arm around her.

"Rory" Lorelai finally said as she leaned forward and looked at her daughter on the other end of the couch. "You're Grandparents always loved you. They were upset when you left, but they weren't angry. They were sad and upset, but they never stopped loving you. Your Dad was the same way. He always loved you."

Rory nodded at her Mom's words and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Are those brownies?" She asked and Joel smiled at her.

"Yes" He said and quickly handed her one before passing the plate to Lorelai.

**To Be Continued…**

**Thanks for reading! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. I'd also be happy to answer any question you have about this story or ideas you have. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all so much for your reviews so far! I'm not really sure about this chapter, so please let me know what you think. **

"So, uh, you're my sister?" Patrick questioned as he sat next to Rory on the deck.

Rory couldn't help but chuckle at the way Patrick broached the subject. He acted and spoke so much like Luke. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Ok. Well, uh, nice to meet you, again." He said awkwardly. "I'm sorry, but it's really weird introducing myself to you, my older sister."

"No apologize necessary, this whole thing is really awkward. I'm not really sure how to act either." Rory said honestly.

"Just so you know, Mom didn't forget about you." Patrick said quietly. "Neither did my Dad. Sure, they didn't talk about you a whole lot to us kids, but I think it was too hard for them to explain everything to us."

"Patrick, you don't have to explain." Rory said and held her hand up to stop his explanation.

"No, I think you should hear this." He insisted. "Mom never forgot about you Rory. She has this special picture album of you that she looks at once in a while when she thinks no one is around. I caught her looking at it once when I was a kid. Every year in October she has what Dad called her 'dark day'. There never was explanation, but us kids all assumed it was your birthday and she needed a day to remember you and be sad that she couldn't talk to you. She never stopped loving you."

"Wow" Was all Rory could say in response.

"What? You thought she just forgot you ever existed?" Patrick continued quietly. "I think you know that she could never do that. Could you forget about one of your kids?"

"Never"

"Well, neither could Mom." Patrick stated simply and shrugged in a very Luke like manner. He stood up and nodded as Rory sat in silence. Joel soon appeared and sat down next to Rory.

"Hey, I'm going to run down to the market and pick up some stuff for dinner. You want to come?" He asked.

"No, I think I'll stay and chat with Mom."

"Ok, well I just started a fresh pot of coffee. Your Mom's in the kitchen waiting for it to finish up." Joel said before he quickly kissed her and stood up. "Pat, you want to join me in a trip to the market? Get away from all this girl talk?"

"Sure, I'll join you."

"Alright, let's go. Rory we'll be back in a bit." He said over his shoulder as both men walked to Joel's car. Rory watched them get into the car and back out of the driveway before Joel waved to her as they drove off.

Rory stood up and walked over to the seating area on the deck. It was a chilly afternoon, so she started a fire in the coffee table/fire pit before going back inside to get a couple blankets. Minutes later, Lorelai emerged from the house and handed a cup of coffee to Rory.

"So, tell me more about these six kids." Rory said as she sipped the coffee and Lorelai sat down next to her. It was a little chilly, so they snuggled together on the outdoor couch with blankets wrapped around them. Rory shook her head before smiling at Lorelai. "It sounds so weird saying that you have six kids."

"Seven" Lorelai corrected her.

"Wha? Oh, me." Rory realized.

"What, you thought I was going to announce that I was pregnant?" Lorelai laughed. "That ship sailed long ago. When the twins were born, in fact."

"You made Luke get snipped?" Rory asked.

"No." Lorelai began to explain. "Luke and I actually weren't planning to have any more kids after Jonathan, but we had an oops and I got pregnant with the twins. It was a difficult pregnancy and I was on bed rest for the last four months. They were born a month early and there were complications which led to a lot of bleeding and a hysterectomy for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry Mom. That must have been terrifying."

"It was, but it all turned out ok and Luke and I got Adam and Abbey out of the deal. They're really great kids Rory. You're going to love them all so much." Lorelai explained.

"I'm sure I will. Tell me about them."

"Oh! I have pictures. They're on my phone. Be right back!" Lorelai quickly explained before getting up and dashing into the house. She returned a minute later with her cell phone and sat down before handing the phone to Rory. "That's Luke." Lorelai joked as Rory rolled her eyes.

"I remember Luke, Mom."

"Ok, what's the next one?" Lorelai asked. Rory turned the phone to her before adjusting her position so that she was leaning into Lorelai's side and they both looked at the phone. "That's Abby and Luke."

"Wow. She's beautiful." Rory noted. "Looks just like you."

"She's got Luke wrapped around her finger too." Lorelai smiled as Rory clicked to the next picture. "That's Sam and his wife." Lorelai explained as Rory looked at a young man with Lorelai's eyes and Luke's gruff features with his arm around a petite young woman with green eyes and brown hair. They both looked really happy and Rory couldn't help but smile as she remembered being young and in love.

"Sam's married? How old is he again?" Rory questioned.

"Twenty-one." Lorelai answered. "Jenny, Sam's wife, is nineteen."

"They're so young." Rory noted.

"Yes, they are. Luke and I were pretty nervous when Sam said he wanted to marry Jenny, but they really are meant to be together. They dated throughout high school and just seemed to be right. Everyone in town says they're the next 'Luke and Lorelai' without waiting a million years to get together. I think Jenny's parents were apprehensive about their nineteen year old daughter getting married, but didn't protest. Jenny's going to college at Yale actually, so marrying Sam didn't completely derail her future." Lorelai joked.

"She goes to Yale?" Rory asked. "And she's nineteen? Catherine is the same age. Maybe they have a class together."

"Wow, they totally could." Lorelai agreed. "How weird would that be?"

"Pretty weird." Rory agreed. "I'm totally calling Catherine tonight and asking her if she knows Jenny. Did she change her last name to Danes?"

"Yup." Lorelai nodded. "Jenny Danes."

"Does Sam go to Yale too?"

Lorelai chuckled and shook her head. "No, Sam hated school and refused to go to college. He works at Home Depot and absolutely loves it."

"Good for him. He found something that he loves. Not everyone can say they love their job."

"Yeah, and he's got a great wife. She's so smart too; reminds me of you actually. She's studying finance at Yale. I'm sure she'll end up working at some fancy financial company."

"Good for her." Rory nodded and turned to the next picture. "Patrick?" Rory asked as she looked at a picture of him in a graduation gown.

"Yes. That's him graduating from Columbia almost two years ago." Lorelai explained. "He got a business degree and has an ambitious plan to buy small Inns in New England and make them as successful as the Dragonfly. He doesn't want to make a chain of Inns, just own several small successful establishments. He's so driven and determined to make it happen. His brother, Will, is even in on the idea. Will's studying business at Harvard and plans to work with Patrick after he graduates this spring. Patrick has been working full time at The Dragonfly, but is looking to buy another Inn once Will is on board. He's been planning and strategizing for months now."

"Hence the reason for coming to a hotel convention in Seattle."

"Correct." Lorelai confirmed. "He's really smart Rory. He actually reminds me a lot of you. He's always been good at school and very ambitious, but acts just like Luke too."

"He looks a lot like Luke." Rory said.

"In fact, they all do. Abby probably looks the most like me, but the boys are like copies of Luke. Even in the way they act, with the exception of Adam. He's so outgoing I think it embarrasses Luke sometimes." Lorelai joked.

Rory smiled and scrolled to the next picture. It was of all six Danes children standing behind the counter at Luke's. "They look so happy."

"Yeah, that's a great picture." Lorelai agreed. "We've been really blessed with all the kids. Luke and I certainly weren't planning to have a big family at first, but I'm really happy we do. After Patrick was born we thought it would be nice to have a couple more kids, so we had Will and Sam. Then we thought just one more would be nice, so Jonathan was born. As you know, Adam and Abby were a surprise, but a good one. It was definitely crazy when they were growing up, but I love them all so much. The only regret I have is that you weren't there with us." Lorelai said sadly.

"I'm so sorry Mom. I really regret being apart for so long. I wish I could take it back. I really do." Rory choked out as Lorelai pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I know sweetie. I really wish I hadn't been so stubborn and had been more understanding. Neither of us can change the past, unfortunately." Lorelai said. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Lorelai brushed Rory's hair out of her eyes. "Let's not talk about how horrible we both feel. Tell me more about Ben and Catherine."

Rory continued to lean against Lorelai's side and began talking about her children. "First of all, they're both incredible. I'm constantly learning new things from them and love them more than anything. I don't think I could have asked for better kids."

"Sounds like we both have done pretty well in the family department." Lorelai mused.

"Yeah. It certainly hasn't all been a fairy tale, but it's all good now." Rory said. "We had a rough time when the kids were younger. Ben was really sick as a kid and we almost lost him." Rory explained as Lorelai listened. "Ben was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was seven years old." Lorelai gasped quietly as Rory continued. "It was fairly advanced when we found out, so the doctors took an aggressive treatment approach. Ben spent several months in the Children's Hospital here in Seattle. It was absolutely awful for all of us. Fortunately we have a great group of friends and they all surrounded us and made sure we had everything we needed. Joel's best friend Wes played a big part in Ben's recovery. He came to the hospital and sat with Ben through every single chemo treatment and all the surgeries. He even donated blood and bone marrow. I really believe that he saved Ben's life." Rory explained as Lorelai sat in silence. "Joel and I were doing our best to keep it all together and still be there for Catherine. Wes really stepped in and filled the gaps and just focused on being there for Ben. Ben was almost nine years old by the time he was completely finished with treatments and the doctors determined he was in remission."

"Wow. That sounds so scary. I can't even imagine how I would have handled having a child with leukemia. Is Ben ok now?"

"Yeah. His doctors declared him cancer free several years ago. He gets blood tests every few years, but everything has been clear for a long time. It was scary, but he's ok now." Rory said.

"Good." Lorelai nodded. "What about Catherine?"

Rory smiled as she thought of her daughter. "She actually reminds me of you. There were many times when she was growing up that I wanted to say 'you're exactly like your grandmother'. She's so driven, but incredibly stubborn. We used to call her Catie, but when she was about five years old she insisted that we call her Catherine. Said that her name was Catherine and that's what she wanted to be called." Rory said and shook her head as a smirk appeared on her face. "Ben still calls her Catie once in a while, but he's the only one that can get away from it. If I do it, she just looks at me and says 'Mother please'. Naturally, anyone calling me 'Mother' makes me feel really old, so I've given up on the issue. She's always done really well in school, so has Ben. It's almost like a competition between them to see who can get the best grades. Joel and I constantly had to remind them that the grade itself wasn't the most important thing, but that they needed to focus on actually learning the subject matter."

"Of course you're kids would be good in school." Lorelai noted. "Speaking of school, what about Yale? I'm assuming since you left that you never went back to Yale. What about another school? Did you finish your degree?"

"I did." Rory confirmed. "After I moved out here I worked for the Seattle Times for a while before I decided to go back to school. I went to the University of Washington and graduated a year later. It was a really good decision, especially since I eventually met Joel through our mutual group of friends."

"I'm glad you finished your degree Rory. I always worried about that." Lorelai said. "What about your career?"

"I've worked at the Seattle Times since I moved out here. I really like it there and have been really happy writing for them. I also recently started teaching at UW part time in the English department. I'm only teaching one class at night, but I really like it. I could see myself teaching full time in the future."

"I could see you as a professor. Professor Gilmore." Lorelai said. "Good for you. I'm glad you've made a good career for yourself."

"Actually, Professor Alexander." Rory corrected her. "I changed my last name when I married Joel."

"Oh, that makes sense. I guess that's why 'Rory Gilmore' never came up with anything recent on Google." Lorelai noted.

"You Googled me?"

"Yeah, every once in a while I would type your name in to see if anything came up." Lorelai shrugged. "So, you said you met Joel at school. Has he always worked at the hotel?" She added to quickly change the subject.

"Ever since I've known him. He started working there part time in college and was hired full time after graduating. He worked his way up and is now the manager. The owner is talking about selling the place in the next several years, so Joel is considering buying it. He's worked there for so long that it would be weird to have a new owner to work with."

"Maybe he should be talking with Patrick." Lorelai joked, but Rory seriously considered the idea.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea. I'll mention it to Joel. Maybe Joel and The Danes Boys could go into business together on the place." Rory said seriously. "A west coast division of The Danes Group."

"You never know, it could happen." Lorelai stated. "By the way, that is the actual name Patrick wants to use for the business."

"Really? He's starting a whole new business and not just adding to The Dragonfly." Rory asked.

"He's an employee of The Dragonfly now, but he wants to acquire new establishments under The Danes Group. I offered to give him part of my stake in The Dragonfly, but he insists on buying it. He wants The Danes Group to buy my half so Sookie can keep her half. Patrick and the rest of the kids are really close with Davey and Martha, so they want them to have Sookie's half when she retires. Even if they don't play an active role in the business, they don't think it would be right to just buy it out from under them. The Dragonfly is making really good money now, so Patrick wants everyone who's been there since the beginning to share in the success. Of course, The Dragonfly isn't big enough to support everyone, but it will be good supplemental income."

"Patrick seems like a great guy. Not everyone would do something like that. Is it just Patrick and Will or are the other boys planning to join them?"

"Right now it's Patrick and Will. Sam isn't really interested, but I think he could be on board in the future. Maybe if Jenny talked him into it they could both join. Jonathan likes the idea and supports his brothers, but isn't really that interested. Adam thinks it's cool and has all kinds of marketing ideas, so he'll probably join his brothers after he's done with college."

"Is Jonathan going to school?"

"Yes, he's going to Princeton and studying business, but I'm not sure he's going to stick with that as his major. He seems to be a little more interested in his social life than in studying."

"Wow, you've got quite the Ivy League family Mom. Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Harvard. Is Adam going to follow in their footsteps?" Rory asked.

"He hasn't decided yet. He and Abby are seniors in high school and have been accepted into several schools, but don't have a final choice just yet. In all honesty I think Adam's waiting for his girlfriend to choose where she's going to school and then he'll either follow her or at least be near her."

"Girlfriend? Is it serious?"

"Not really sure. You know how eighteen year old boys can be. Adam thinks he's in love with Chelsea, but I don't know. She doesn't seem as interested in the relationship as he is, so I guess we'll see what happens." Lorelai said and shrugged her shoulders.

"What about Abby?"

"Abby just wants to get out of Stars Hollow and explore the world right now. I think she feels a little trapped there and she's probably a little sick of five over protective older brothers and Luke." Lorelai explained.

"Poor girl." Rory joked. "I bet they've run off every boyfriend she's ever had."

"Just about." Lorelai confirmed. "I think she just wants a change for a little while. I don't think she's upset or anything, just looking for some adventure."

"It might be good for her." Rory shrugged. "Send her here to Seattle. She could go to school here, but I'd be close by to make sure she was ok."

"That's not a bad idea. I'll suggest it to her." Lorelai noted. She looked around and sighed at the beautiful views of the city. "This is such a beautiful view Rory."

"Thanks, it is. You should see it in the summer, absolutely gorgeous."

"But what about all the rain? Don't you feel like a drowned rat half of the time?" Lorelai joked.

"It's not that bad!" Rory insisted while shaking her head. "It does get a little gloomy in the winter, but the summers are really beautiful."

"I'll have to verify that with my own eyes." Lorelai said skeptically.

"Yes, you will." Rory said. "You should bring the whole family out for a couple weeks. We could go up to the San Juan Islands and relax. Joel's parents have a vacation home up there that we could use."

"That sounds nice. I'm sure it won't take much convincing to get everyone out here." Lorelai agreed. "Oh!" She suddenly exclaimed, startling Rory. "I need to call Luke! I haven't talked to him since this morning before all this happened. He's going to be so shocked."

"Well, go call him." Rory said playfully as she gathered the blanket they were using and Lorelai dashed into the house. Rory put the fire out and gathered the coffee cups before returning inside the house.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, I'm home!" Ben called out as he entered the house through the garage.

"In the kitchen!" Rory answered. Ben walked into the kitchen and kissed Rory on the cheek as he greeted her.

"What's for dinner Mom?"

Rory smiled as Ben started to lift the lids on the pots and pans to see what she was cooking. "We're having Salmon, Green Beans, Garlic Potatoes, and Macaroni and Cheese." Rory said.

"Macaroni and Cheese doesn't really go with Salmon." Ben stated.

"No, but you like it and I like to cook your favorites when you're home." Rory explained.

"I'm home almost every weekend." Ben said while smiling at her.

"Well, then I guess I just like to spoil you."

"Mom, I'm going to get fat if you keep feeding me like this." Ben joked while patting his rounding stomach.

"You're not fat. You're a growing boy."

"Growing fat." Ben mumbled before getting a spoon and trying to sample the food before Rory chased him out of the kitchen.

"Don't eat before it's all ready Ben!" She joked. "Go help your Dad and Patrick with the Salmon on the grill."

"Speaking of Patrick, how is that all going?" Ben asked as he stopped and leaned against the edge of the counter.

"Good. Mom's excited to meet you." Rory said.

"Should be interesting." Ben remarked and Rory rolled her eyes.

"Yes, meeting your Grandmother and Uncle for the first time certainly will be 'interesting'". She said.

Ben smirked and walked back over to the stove and attempted another sample of dinner, but Rory swatted his hand again. "Ben! I said it's not ready yet. Go outside and help your Dad with the fish."

"Patrick's already helping him. How many men does it take to grill a fish?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Rory joked back before Ben shook his head and went outside as he was instructed.

Rory went back into the kitchen and continued to prepare dinner until Lorelai wandered in a while later. "Hey, how was your talk with Luke?" She asked.

"Oh, it was good." Lorelai said. "I think he's still processing everything that's happened today."

"So, Luke hasn't changed much?"

"Not really." Lorelai smiled. "It smells good in here. Look at you cooking away looking like you know what you're doing."

"I do know what I'm doing." Rory joked. "Joel taught me how to cook when we first started dating. I actually enjoy it. Who would have ever thought that a Gilmore Girl would enjoy cooking?"

"I think you've been brainwashed." Lorelai said plainly and tried to sample the food before Rory batted her hand away.

"It's not ready." Rory said in a motherly tone as Lorelai scoffed. "Ben was in here five minutes ago doing the same thing. We're all going to eat together when the food is ready."

"Sorry Mom." Lorelai joked. "Speaking of Ben, can I meet him?"

"Yeah, I'll go grab him." Rory responded and left the kitchen. She returned a minute later with Ben in tow. Rory turned so she was standing next to him and put her hand on his back. "Ben, this is your Grandma Lorelai. Mom, this is Ben." She introduced them.

"Hi" Ben said as Lorelai smiled softly at him, both seeming a little unsure of what to do. Ben stepped forward and awkwardly pulled Lorelai into a hug. Lorelai quickly relaxed and held him tightly.

After a minute, Lorelai stepped back and wiped her eyes before putting her arms on Ben's shoulders. "You're so big." She said quietly.

"See Mom, I told you your cooking was making me fat!" Ben called to Rory over his shoulder.

"No, not fat." Lorelai shook her head. "You're all grown up."

"uh, thanks?" Ben said as Lorelai stepped back a little further.

"Sorry, this is a little awkward. Isn't it?"

"Yeah. I'm really happy to finally meet you, but I'm not really sure what to do." Ben agreed.

"Me neither. I'm not really sure what the protocol is for meeting your adult grandson for the first time? At this point all the cheek pinching, feeding you ice cream before dinner, taking you to the park, and buying you lots of toys would probably be a little weird." Lorelai joked as Ben smiled at her.

"How about a cup of coffee instead?" Ben countered with.

Lorelai's face lit up and she smiled at him. "I love that idea! You really are my grandson."

Ben chuckled at her antics and said "How about we go out after dinner to my favorite coffee shop?"

"I'd love to."

"Great. You'll love it." Ben said.

"Hey, where is Patrick? Have you met your uncle yet?" Lorelai asked Ben.

"Outside cooking the fish on the grill." Rory answered.

"And yes, I met him." Ben answered. "It should be ready by now. I'll go see what the hold up is." Ben said and went back outside.

"He's great Rory." Lorelai complimented Rory.

"Thanks Mom. You're going to love him so much the more you get to know him."

"Yeah, I'm sure I will." Lorelai noted. Rory went back to finishing dinner as Lorelai watched her. Ben, Patrick, and Joel soon returned to the kitchen with the fish they'd just finished grilling.

About an hour later Rory and Joel stood at the kitchen sink cleaning up the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher. Patrick, Ben, and Lorelai were out for a quick trip to Ben's favorite coffee shop.

The trio came home a while later to find Rory and Joel curled up on the couch watching TV.

"How was it?" Joel asked as they entered the living room.

"Amazing" Lorelai sighed and slumped onto the couch.

"It would have been nice if someone had filled me in on the fact that Pat doesn't drink coffee." Ben said and glared at Rory.

"Sorry." Rory apologized while smiling at Ben. "They have tea though."

"Really good tea." Patrick added.

"We just like to keep you on your toes." Rory added and Ben shook his head.

"Hey, why don't you guys join me on the back porch for a beer?" Joel asked.

"Sure" Ben and Patrick both responded before following Joel into the kitchen and then outside.

"How old is Ben again?" Lorelai asked as soon as they left.

"Twenty-one." Rory answered. "Don't worry, Joel wouldn't give an underage kid alcohol."

"So, this is your life in Seattle." Lorelai said and waved her hand to gesture around the room.

"Yeah, this is it." Rory said and smiled at her Mom.

"You look happy Rory." Lorelai said as she observed Rory.

"I am."

"Even without me?"

"What?"

"Are you happy without me?" Lorelai said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Mom, things have been going so well. Let's not go there tonight." Rory suggested.

"No Rory, I need to go there. It's been eating at me all day." Lorelai insisted. "Answer my question: Are you happy without me?"

Rory shook her head and tried to think of the best way to explain her feelings. "Mom, it's not that simple. We were best friends. I couldn't just stop thinking about you or loving you. It's not that cut and dry. I missed you every day."

"Well then why didn't you call?" Lorelai asked. "I had to find out that you'd left four weeks after the fact!"

"I'm sorry Mom. I wasn't thinking straight at the time. I was so incredibly vulnerable and insecure. I just needed someone to hold me and tell me it was all going to be alright! You just told me that I wasn't allowed to change the plan you had in your mind for me! You couldn't believe that your perfect daughter wasn't so perfect after all." Rory said loudly as anger rose within her.

"No you certainly weren't perfect! I never expected you to be perfect Rory. I expected you to make better choices! What were you thinking? That you'd just leave and forget about your family and we'd all be ok? Did you even think about what your leaving did to me? To your Grandparents?" Lorelai yelled back.

"Of course I did! I knew it hurt you-"

"But you did it anyway!" Lorelai cut her off. "You didn't care that you broke my heart and your Grandparents. We were heartbroken Rory! You just left a note and took off! You never even let us know that you were ok; that you were still alive! If it hadn't been for this trip to Seattle I probably never would have seen you again!" She fumed.

"I knew you would react like this, that's why I didn't contact you!" Rory fired back. "I didn't want to be judged by you or hear you tell me how disappointed you were. Yes, I made bad choices, but I didn't want to be reminded of that! I just wanted you to be my Mom and love me and tell me it was all going to be ok!"

"You wouldn't even talk to me! Do you really think me telling you it would be ok would have been good enough for you at the time? It's never good enough Rory! Even now my words aren't good enough!" 

"Oh, don't turn this around on me! You didn't want to deal with me or help me at all. You just wanted me to fix everything! I'm sorry Mom, but it wasn't that simple." Rory spat at her mother while shaking her head. "You just didn't want to deal with any of it. I screwed it all up and you just wanted to wash your hands of me! I guess it's a good thing you and Luke got together so you could just forget about me and replace me with a bunch of kids! Just toss me aside and move on with your life full speed ahead!"

"Enough" Joel interrupted and startled both women. "I could hear you two yelling from outside." He said to explain his sudden appearance. "I know you two need to work out your differences and talk about the past, but yelling and screaming isn't going to help anyone. You're just going to wind up hurting each other all over again."

"Joel, I think you need to stay out of this." Rory said calmly.

"Rory, just take it easy, ok?"

"Ok" Rory agreed as Joel went back outside. "Mom, can we continue this conversation later. It's getting late and I'm not really in the mood to continue our screaming match."

"Yeah, whenever you're ready. I've waited twenty-five years, what's a few more hours." Lorelai retorted. "It is late. I think it's best if Patrick and I go back to the hotel. See ya later Rory." She said and quickly walked out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

_Previously…_

"_Ok" Rory agreed as Joel went back outside. "Mom, can we continue this conversation later. It's getting late and I'm not really in the mood to continue our screaming match."_

"_Yeah, whenever you're ready. I've waited twenty-five years, what's a few more hours." Lorelai retorted. "It is late. I think it's best if Patrick and I go back to the hotel. See ya later Rory." She said and quickly walked out the door._

Rory sighed and slumped onto the couch. She tried to fight back tears, but was soon softly crying and curled up in a ball on the couch. Ben startled her when he sat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Mom?" He asked quietly.

Rory sniffled and wiped her face with her sleeve before sitting up. "Sorry Ben."

"No need to apologize. Dad took Grandma and Pat back to the hotel and I wanted to see how you were. I heard the yelling." Ben practically whispered. Rory sighed and curled around Ben's arm.

"I was afraid we'd fight if we got together. Maybe this was a mistake."

"No Mom, it's good that you got together with Grandma. You two haven't spoken in so long and from what you've said you didn't part well. There is bound to be some pent up anger."

"I just don't know if we can move past it."

"Don't be ridiculous Mom. You're going to work past it. Maybe not right this minute, but you'll both resolve your issues eventually. You can't give up though. It's not going to be easy and you're going to have to work at it, but you can do it." Ben encouraged her.

"Thanks Ben." Rory said and continued to hold onto him. "Other than the fighting, what did you think about your Grandma and Patrick?"

"I like them." Ben stated. "Grandma seems to be a lot of fun. Patrick is a bit straight laced, but hopefully he'll loosen up once I get to know him more."

"He'll make more sense when you meet his Dad, Luke. Patrick is a lot like him. Both are really good guys, but a little more reserved than most people."

"How is all that going to work? They live on the other side of the country. Are we going to see them or are they coming here?" Ben asked.

"I'm not really sure at this point. Probably both. I think we should let things settle down a little first and then we'll figure all that out."

Ben and Rory both turned as Joel slammed the front door. He quickly walked into the living room and sat next to Rory, pulling her into a hug.

"Did Mom say anything to you on the way back to the hotel?" Rory asked against his chest.

"Not really." Joel answered. "She probably just needs a little time. Everything will be better in the morning."

"I don't know Joel."

"Well, worrying about it all night isn't going to do any good. Let's go to bed." Joel suggested.

"Ok. Ben, are you staying the night?" Rory asked.

"Yeah might as well." Ben said before kissing Rory's cheek and saying goodnight.

Rory and Joel soon went to bed and Rory tried to put her mind at ease. She rolled over and put her head on Joel's chest. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her and slowly rubbed her back before opening his eyes.

"Rory, it really will be ok." He whispered.

"You can't promise that." She mumbled.

"No, but I think you can make it be ok." Joel said while shifting and pulling Rory into a bear hug. "We've been through so much Rory. No matter what, we've always had each other. Whatever happens between you and your Mom, I'll always support you. I love you." He said simply and brushed her hair slowly. "As much as I love you though, I've got to say that you two need to work this out. I know you're both deeply hurt, but you need to find a way to work through it. This has gone on long enough and more time isn't going to make anything better. I think at this point time is the worst thing. You never got to say goodbye to your Grandparents or your Dad. I'm worried that if you don't fix this situation with your Mom that you'll seriously regret it in a few years. You always said the rift between you and your Mom was your biggest regret. You have the chance to make that right Rory. Life is too short Babe."

Rory sighed and relaxed against Joel's chest. "I guess I just never thought it would be so hard."

"Life's hard sometimes." Joel said and sighed. "It's been a long time. It's not going to be easy to repair that much damage to your relationship."

"I know. I realize that I need to make an effort to reach out, but Mom plays a role here too."

"Yes, but that doesn't give you an excuse for not acting." Joel said causing Rory to scoff and roll out of his grasp and onto her back. She propped herself up on an elbow and looked at him.

"You really think I'm not going to make an effort?"

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I know you make an initial effort, but if you come up against resistance you might not try as hard because you figure it's a two way street."

"It is a two way street." Rory said coldly.

"I know." Joel agreed.

"Then don't accuse me of not trying."

"Rory, I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just trying to offer some advice." Joel tried to defend himself.

"Well, this is my issue and I'd appreciate if you'd let me take care of it." Rory said and rolled over onto her side away from Joel. "Goodnight" she said and Joel shook his head before sighing and closing his eyes.

The next morning Joel went back to the hotel to catch up on a little work and talk to Lorelai. He really hoped things had settled down from last night, but he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Rory had woken about the same time he had and seemed to be wrestling with leftover feelings from the night before. She still seemed a little upset with him and didn't say much at the breakfast table. Joel felt bad that his attempt to fix the situation had upset his wife, but he didn't really know how to help. He hoped Lorelai had calmed down a little and had a chance to work through her feelings. If not, he was in for a storm of emotions swirling around him.

Joel spent several hours in his office before one of the staff told him he had a guest at the front desk asking for him.

"Good morning Patrick" Joel said as he walked to the front desk.

"Hey Joel" Patrick said quietly. He shifted nervously and said "Look, uh, Mom isn't coming down this morning. She said that she just can't handle the situation with Rory. I'm sorry, but I'm not really sure what to do, so I'm going to go to the convention for a couple hours."

"ok, thanks Patrick. I was hoping your Mom would feel different, but I guess I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to."

"Yeah, I'm sorry Joel."

"No worries. Take it easy Patrick."

"See you later." Patrick said before nodding and leaving the front desk.

Joel sighed and shook his head as he walked back to his office. He reluctantly picked up the phone and called Rory.

"Hello?" Rory answered.

"Hey Babe." Joel greeted her.

"Hey you. Did you talk to her?"

"No, but I talked to Patrick." Joel informed her and took a deep breath. "Rory, I'm really sorry, but she doesn't want to talk."

"Oh. Ok." Rory said with disappointment evident in her voice. "I guess I'll just work on grading some papers and catch up on my writing."

"I'll be home in a little bit. I just need to finish some things here."

"Ok"

"Rory?"

"Yeah"

"I'm sorry" Joel whispered.

"I know." She said before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Joel frowned as he set the phone down and thought about the situation.

XXXXX

Patrick wandered around the convention center for about an hour before he gave up on it. All he could think about was his Mom and Rory. He couldn't think of a way to bring them together that didn't require force, so he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called his Dad.

"Hey Patrick." Luke answered.

"Hey Dad"

"Everything alright?"

"Not really." Patrick admitted. "Mom and Rory had a huge fight last night and now they aren't talking."

"Oh boy" Luke breathed.

"Yeah, it was that bad. I think Rory wants to talk, but Mom absolutely refuses to discuss it or see Rory. I don't know what to do. They really need to talk before we leave Seattle. I don't want Mom leaving without making things right." Patrick said.

"You're leaving Sunday night?"

"Yeah"

"Ok, well it's Saturday, so that doesn't give us much time." Luke thought out loud. There was a moment of silence before Luke spoke up again. "Ok, here's what's going to happen. I'm going to get on a plane and fly out there today. I'm going to talk to your Mom and get this straightened out."

"That sounds like a good plan. We can't let them continue this argument." Patrick agreed.

"I'm doing what I should have done years ago. I should have found out where Rory was and made your Mom talk to her. At the very least I should have called her when she was still living with her Grandparents." Luke noted. "I'll call you when I have more details about my flight."

"Ok. Thanks Dad. See you later."

"Bye Patrick."

Patrick hung up the phone and took a deep breath. He hoped he hadn't just made a huge mistake by getting his Dad involved, but he couldn't think of any other options. Now that his Dad was on his way to deal with his Mom, Patrick decided to try and get Rory to talk. He quickly walked out of the convention center and down the street before hailing a cab. He didn't know Rory's address, so he had the cab driver drop him close to where he remembered her house being. About half an hour later he arrived at Rory's house and knocked on the door.

"Patrick" Rory said as she opened the door and saw him.

"Hi Rory. Can we talk?"


	7. Chapter 7

"um, yeah, sure. Are you here alone?" Rory asked as she looked around Patrick.

"It's just me." Patrick said before being ushered inside by Rory. They sat in the living room in silence for a few moments before Patrick spoke up. "Look Rory, I know you and Mom have your differences. I know that you both said hurtful things to each other last night and are both carrying a lot of anger and hurt from the past, but you've got to let it go."

"Patrick, it's not that easy."

"You and Mom keep saying that. I realize that you can't ignore what's happened, but you have to work at making it better. After twenty-five years you're not just going to wake up and say that the past is behind you and you forget everything. You both need to take steps to work through your differences. You need to work on it every day, not just hash it all out and pretend that everything is ok." Patrick said with passion in his voice. "Rory, I hate to put pressure on you, but I really feel like you need to make the effort here. Mom is just going to keep blaming you for all of this unless you make every effort to have a relationship with her."

"But, she needs to do her part too. I can't do it all on my own." Rory insisted.

"I know. I know you both play a role here, but if you don't give her an excuse to back out, she'll step up to the plate." Patrick said before taking a deep breath. "Rory, my whole life I've watched Mom struggle with this. I realize that I've only ever seen her side of it, but I have to admit that I've been affected by this. My brothers and sister have too. I don't want to make you feel horrible or guilty, but I want you to know that Mom has been deeply affected by this and a part of her shut down as the years went on. She's a great Mom and we all love her, but I feel like things would have been better if you were around. It was like she was slightly distracted at times and it killed me when I realized that I couldn't do anything about that. No one could fill that void but you." Patrick said.

"Patrick, I-"

"No, let me get this out Rory." Patrick insisted. "Mom probably told you that she made sure that we all knew who you were and that you were our older sister. That's partly true. She barely ever talked about you and Dad explained the most to us. Literally all we were told was that we had an older sister named Rory who no longer spoke to our Mom because of a huge fight. Everything else we learned from stories from our Dad and people around town. That's it." Patrick said. "A part of me was angry with you for a while. I'd never met you, but I didn't like that you hurt my family. I had to let that go, but I'm going to do everything I can to get you two back together. I can't just stand by and let you two hate each other. It's just not worth it Rory. I called my Dad a while ago and he's flying out here tonight to talk to Mom."

"Luke's coming?" Rory asked skeptically.

"Yes. He should be here later this afternoon or early evening."

"You realize that you can't force Mom and me together right?"

"Well, then we'll tie you both to chairs and make you stare at each other." Patrick joked and Rory shook her head. "Look, I know that in the end change has to come from within both of you. I just hope that we can encourage you to try and make it work."

"I appreciate your thoughts and feelings Patrick, but I don't know that involving the whole family is going to magically fix this." Rory said.

"Nothing is going to magically fix this. I think if the family is involved, both you and Mom will find a way to make this work. If you won't do it for yourselves, do it for all of us. Do it for Ben and Catherine."

"Ok, now that's not fair. Don't pull the Ben and Catherine card."

"I'm going to pull whatever cards I have to." Patrick said.

Rory sighed and shook her head. "Patrick, um, I'm sorry." Rory whispered.

"I've moved on. It's ok." He said coldly.

"Well, if it makes it any better I want you to know that this whole thing really is the biggest regret of my life." Rory offered. "It was stupid and selfish and I should have ended this years ago. I'm sorry I hurt you and your brothers and sister."

Patrick took a deep breath and nodded before putting his arm around Rory's shoulders. She turned her head and smiled softly at him before reaching around his back and giving him a side hug. "I'm really sorry I missed seeing you grow up." Rory whispered. "I would have loved being around you and your siblings all the time. Seeing you all as babies, starting school, starting high school, birthdays, Christmases, graduations, watching you become adults. I completely missed it all. That's my fault and I have to live with that. I guess I should have known that I was missing out. I was foolish to think that I had everything I needed in Seattle and that things stayed the same in Stars Hollow."

"Honestly, you do deserve to feel bad about this." Patrick said as Rory looked at him in surprise and moved to the other end of the couch. "You're the one who moved across the country and never came back. I don't think anyone needs to make you feel better about missing out on having little brothers and a little sister. I can't speak for my siblings, but I'm not exactly ready to throw a 'welcome to the family' party." Patrick said honestly.

Rory looked at him with confusion on her face. "Patrick, I don't understand. You seemed so open and ready to start a relationship. It seems like you're just blowing me off and trying to make me feel bad now."

"Look, I really want you and Mom to get back together and I would like to get to know you. I just don't want to forgive you just yet."

"But you said you had?"

"I said I let get of the anger. That's different than forgiveness." Patrick reasoned. "I'm willing to get to know you if you make the effort to get to know Mom again."

"And if I don't patch things up with Mom?"

"Forget about me." Patrick said firmly.

"That seems a bit harsh." Rory frowned.

"Not compared to ignoring your family for twenty-five years." Patrick countered.

"I didn't ignore you Patrick. I ignored Mom." Rory insisted. "If I'd have known…"

"You would have dropped everything and come back. Yeah, yeah, yeah." Patrick said with irritation in his voice. "Neither one of us can change what happened Rory. I'm sure you would have eventually come back if you'd known you had siblings, but no one can say when you would have come back. It's going to take a while for all of this to get worked out, but I'll make you a promise. If you make a serious effort to rebuild your relationship with Mom, I'll make a serious effort to build a relationship with you. I'm not going to go anywhere as long as Mom doesn't get hurt anymore."

"That sounds like a reasonable offer. I can't make any promises about rebuilding a relationship with Mom, but I can promise to do my part. I promise that I'll make a serious effort Patrick."

"Ok, we've got a deal then." Patrick nodded.

Rory looked and him and smiled. "You really care a lot about Mom, don't you?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"Oh, no, there's nothing wrong with it. It's really nice actually. Good to know that she's got someone looking after her. Not that your Dad isn't, but I always worried about her, so I guess it puts my mind at ease to know you care so much." Rory said. "You remind me a lot of your Dad. How is he?"

"Good. Busy with the diner." Patrick said.

"I bet he hasn't changed much." Rory thought out loud. "So, Patrick, tell me a little more about yourself. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Not really" Patrick said vaguely. "It's kind of complicated. I had a pretty serious girlfriend in college, but she didn't really want the same things I did. Kelly, that's her name, didn't really want to settle down in Stars Hollow and raise a family like I wanted to." He explained sadly. "She grew up in New York and didn't want to live anywhere else. Plus, she wasn't so excited about the idea of having kids."

"And you want to live in Stars Hollow and have kids."

"Yeah." Patrick sighed. "We broke up about six months after we graduated from Columbia, but we still see each other once in a while. Her parents have a place in Hartford, so she usually stops by Stars Hollow every couple months."

"That must be hard to see her so often."

"It is, but I still care about her a lot." He shrugged. "Come to think of it, it's been almost a year since she last stopped by. Huh." Patrick thought. "Oh well, I guess it's just as well. It will be easier to get over her."

"It might be best in the long run." Rory agreed. "You're a great guy Patrick, you'll find someone even better who will want the same things you do."

"Yeah" Patrick sighed.

XXXX

Joel took a deep breath as he stood outside Lorelai's hotel room. He had a strong policy of never disturbing the guests, but he felt like he had to do something. He'd brought a pot of coffee and two cups as a peace offering and hoped that would at least get Lorelai to let him in. He knocked on the door and wait for a bit until Lorelai opened the door.

"Joel." She said and looked at him quizzically.

"Hi Lorelai. Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?"

"Would this be a ploy to get me to talk to you about Rory?" She asked skeptically.

"Maybe" Joel admitted. Lorelai shook her head and stood back so he could enter the room. Joel quickly walked over to the desk and set the cups down before filling them. She sat on the bed and accepted the cup he offered before sitting in the desk chair and facing her.

"Is there anything I can do?" Joel asked.

"I don't know Joel." Lorelai began. "There is a lot of hurt feelings and anger between Rory and I."

"I know."

"Yeah. It's going to take time. I think we got off to a good start, but we'll have to take another shot at some point in the future." Lorelai said. "You know, to be honest with you I'd rather not talk about it right now. Let's talk about you instead."

"About me?"

"Yeah, I just met you and feel like you're somewhat of a stranger still. Tell me about yourself."

"I feel like I'm at a job interview." Joel joked.

"Sorry, that did sound a little interrogational." Lorelai admitted.

"No worries. I probably should have interviewed for the job of Rory's husband. I got off pretty easy actually, so you should make up for it a little." Joel remarked. "In all seriousness Lorelai, I really do love your Daughter more than anything. I hope you can see that. We're very happy together."

"I can see that Joel." Lorelai acknowledged.

"Good." He nodded. "So, about me…hhhhmmmmm. Well, I grew up here in Seattle with my parents and sister Rachel. Pretty standard happy childhood; no complaints at all. Mom worked full time raising me and my sister. Dad worked as an engineer and was very involved in our lives. It probably sounds strange, but we're all really close and love each other a lot. We spend loads of time together. It's a little scary how close we are at times, but really good."

"That's nice." Lorelai said sadly. "Glad to hear that you all get along so well."

"Yeah, hey Lorelai, I want you to know that I always encouraged Rory to contact you. I didn't keep her from you."

"I know. I don't really know you Joel, but you don't seem like the kind of guy to do that. You seem like a good guy. I know how stubborn Rory can be, so I'm sure you did your best." Lorelai said.

"It's ok if you're a little angry."

"Do I seem angry?"

"Honestly, yeah, a little." Joel said as he turned to look at her. "You've been very polite to me."

"Well, I was always taught that you should be polite to people." Lorelai answered.

Joel shrugged and looked at her with a frown on his face. "That's great and all, but why don't you just say what you're thinking?"

Lorelai also frowned and thought for a moment. "I'm not really sure that you want to hear it or that I should even say it out loud. I mean, I just met you, so this anger is probably misplaced. You keep saying how important you family is, but why didn't you push Rory harder to talk to hers? Did it make things easier for you if she could just be absorbed into your family bubble? That way you only had to deal with one set of family and not another set of family on the other side of the country." Lorelai said calmly, but with frustration and anger in her voice. "Joel, you knew we live in Connecticut. Why didn't you just take Rory to us? At least then I'd have had a chance to make things right. For the past twenty-five years I've had absolutely no idea where my Daughter was. Not a clue. I wanted to call her so many times, but I didn't have that option. I would not have let this silence between us last this long if I had the option to stop it. I just feel so hurt and like I've been robbed of being in Rory's life. I didn't get to see her graduate college, get married, do well in her career, have children, see my grandchildren grow up. Ben and Catherine are all grown up now. I missed everything Joel! Didn't you think I should be included? If not in Rory's life, what about Ben and Catherine's?"

"Honestly, you have every right to be angry with me on that. I guess I'm more passive by nature, so I never wanted to force Rory to do anything she didn't want to. I know I should have pushed her harder and I'm sorry I didn't. I'm sorry you missed so much." Joel said sincerely. "I'd probably be pretty upset if I were in your shoes, so you're feelings are completely justified."

"That's fair. I guess I can understand your position too. It probably wouldn't have been very wise of you to just kidnap Rory and take her to Stars Hollow." Lorelai said.

"I have a feeling that would have created some major problems in our marriage." Joel agreed and refilled his coffee cup before topping off Lorelai's.

"You know what I like about you Joel?"

"What?"

"You're always giving me coffee." She said and smiled at him before taking another sip of the magical brew.

"Well, you're in the land of coffee, so I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't give you coffee." He joked.

"Rory's a lucky girl. She has a husband who anticipates her every coffee need." Lorelai joked. "My husband hates that I drink the amount of coffee that I do. He always says that it's bad for me."

Joel pretended to be shocked and shook his head. "Well, I doubt I could change your husband's mind, but I can give you all the coffee you want."

"I'll take it." Lorelai nodded.

"What about your kids? I know Patrick doesn't drink coffee, but what about the others?"

"Patrick is the only one who doesn't drink coffee at all. Will, Sam, and Jonathan all drink it in the morning mainly. Adam and Abby are just about as addicted as I am." Lorelai said proudly.

"I bet your husband hates that."

"He's come to terms with it." Lorelai said.

"We're out of coffee." Joel said as he emptied the last drips out of the coffee pot and into Lorelai's cup.

"Say it isn't so!" Lorelai joked while holding her hand to her heart.

"Unfortunately, it is so." Joel responded. "How about we go on an adventure?"

"An adventure?" Lorelai said and raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"Ever been to the original Starbucks?"

"No"

"Want to?"

"Sure. Let's go." Lorelai said enthusiastically and gathered her purse. Joel smiled at her childlike response and they left the room and went on the promised adventure.

XXXXX

**AN: Thanks so much for reading and for all of your feedback! Luke will make an appearance in the next chapter. However, I need your help. I'm having a bit of writer's block with this story. Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions on future chapters?**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Special thanks to everyone who reviewed and send me messages of encouragement! I really appreciate it! Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it. **

Joel and Lorelai returned to the hotel after their short adventure. Joel gave Lorelai a tour of the hotel and spent about an hour discussing the inner workings of his hotel and The Dragonfly. Lorelai was grateful for the distraction, but found herself worrying about what would happen when Luke arrived. She knew he would be upset with her, but hoped it wouldn't be another big fight. She felt like there had been enough fighting over the last twenty-four hours and wanted everything to be ok again.

"Everything alright?" Joel asked, startling Lorelai out of her daydream.

"Oh, yeah, just thinking about how my husband is going to act when he gets here. I'm sure he'll be all riled up."

"oh?" Joel asked. "Does he have a temper? Rory talked about him a little, but never mentioned that he was violent or anything."

"Oh, no, Luke's not violent or anything." Lorelai quickly clarified. "He just cares a lot about Rory and I and hates our not talking. Luke will just be upset that we're not talking like we should be."

"You know, Rory told me quite a bit about Luke. She said he was like a father figure to her growing up."

Lorelai nodded in agreement. "He was. He always made her mashed potatoes when she was sick and remembered her birthday. I was always so grateful that he remembered, especially since her own father rarely remembered."

"Yeah, Rory said he wasn't around much. I feel really bad that she never got to say goodbye to him."

Lorelai nodded and sighed. "Things with Christopher, Rory's father, were always complicated. He really didn't see Rory at all from the time she was born until she was about five years old. When he finally started visiting, it was usually only on formal occasions at my parents' house. He promised to call and rarely did. It hurt to watch her get her hopes up only to be disappointed. I think the worst was on her tenth birthday. She got all dressed up in a pretty party dress and waited on the front porch for him. She sat there all day until she finally realized that he wasn't coming."

"That's awful" Joel noted. "Rory never talked about that. She mainly said that he just wasn't around and the few times he visited were short."

"He came around more when she got older, but it was pretty much too late at that point."

"It must have been really hard raising Rory all by yourself at such a young age." Joel said. "I can't imagine raising Ben and Catherine without Rory let alone having to do it in my late teens and twenties. Hell, I was barely ready to be a parent in my late twenties when Ben was born and I had Rory. I really admire you for doing such a great job with Rory, Lorelai. Rory is an amazing Mom and I know she had you as an example, so you deserve some credit. I know that sounds strange when we've just met and you haven't seen Rory in many years. You may not have parted well, but you did a great job raising Rory. She didn't just magically become who she is completely on her own. Some of it came from what you instilled in her. I guess I just feel really blessed to have met her and that she wanted to be with me."

"Thanks." Lorelai said quietly. "It sounds like Rory made a good choice in wanting to be with you Joel. You're a good guy. I owe you an apology for yelling at you earlier. You didn't deserve that. I'm sorry."

"I understand. I'd be really upset and angry if one of my kids did what Rory did to you. You're right that I should have pushed Rory more, but I think you also need to understand my point of view. Whenever Rory would talk about you, I always told her that she needed to contact you. I never once discouraged her, ever. However, there were times when I should have pushed and didn't because life was already hard enough." Joel explained and adjusted his tie before continuing. "We almost lost Ben, Lorelai. He was so sick and fragile. The doctors told us that he had less than two weeks to live. Rory and I were completely devastated. At one point she wanted to call you and ask you to come to Seattle right away, but she backed out at the last minute. I didn't say anything to her, but I should have. I'm sorry, but I couldn't deal with anything other than my son at that moment."

"Joel, don't feel bad about that." Lorelai said sincerely. "You did what you had to. I probably would have done the same thing if I was in that situation."

Joel nodded and cleared his throat before explaining more. "Thankfully, Ben got better. Rory and I spent three straight days in the hospital with him; each taking a turn sitting on his bed holding him. They did one last bone marrow transplant and hoped it would work. Ben was running a fever, but on the fourth day it broke and he slowly started to get better. It was a long recovery, but all we cared about was that Ben would be healthy again. By a miracle, he beat the leukemia and is healthy today. I'm so grateful I can't even express it." Joel said while trying to control his emotions. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat again. "After Ben was out of the hospital and back home, I wanted Rory to call you, but we just put it off. It seems like every time we should have called you, we found an excuse not to. I'm not really sure how to make up for that, but I guess I'm hoping we can move forward and try to build a normal mother-in-law/son-in-law relationship."

"I think that's a good idea. I'm not sure about me and Rory right now, but I think you and I can at least keep the lines of communication open." Lorelai agreed. She paused for a moment before quietly asking "Do you think I could ask you for a favor?"

"Sure" Joel responded.

"Could you get me copies of your family pictures? I'd really like to see pictures of the kids when they were little."

"I can absolutely do that." Joel answered. "We've got a lot of pictures on the home computer, so I can just email them to you. We've got videos too that I'll figure out how to send to you. I've actually got some pictures on my computer here in the office. Want to look through them until your husband gets here?"

"Yeah, that'd be great." Lorelai said with excitement in her voice. Joel quickly led her into his office and opened up his Facebook account.

"Facebook!" Lorelai said and hit him on the shoulder. She looked at the page and saw that Rory's profile was linked to his. "You and Rory are on Facebook! I've been on Facebook for years and never come across Rory. How is that even possible?"

Joel rubbed his shoulder and frowned at her. "I don't know. You'll have to ask Rory." He said. "I'm only friends with people I actually know, so I wouldn't be connected with anyone Rory knew from Connecticut." He quickly pulled up a photo album that had lots of pictures of family. "This is Ben right after he was born." Joel explained as Lorelai stared at a picture of a newborn Ben.

"He's so small." She breathed.

"He was born three weeks early." Joel explained. "We were in a car accident and Rory went into labor when we got to the hospital. It was scary, but Ben was fine other than being a little small. Rory was ok too. We took Ben home a couple days later and had no clue what to do." He explained and clicked to the next picture. Joel was holding a year old Ben in one arm and had his other arm around Rory's waist.

"Special occasion?" Lorelai asked while examining the picture.

"Not that I can remember. Just thought it was a nice picture." Joel answered and clicked to the next picture. It was taken just after Catherine was born. Ben was sitting next to Rory as she helped him hold his little sister for the first time.

Joel moved away from the desk a little and allowed Lorelai to take control of the computer. He loved looking at the pictures, but he didn't really feel like walking Lorelai through it all. He knew she felt bad, but he couldn't take the guilt she made him feel about everything. He wanted to hold onto his good memories of the past. So, he made an excuse about having to check on a few things around the hotel and left the office.

Joel returned awhile later to find Lorelai talking on her cell phone. She was just ending the call and smiled as Joel entered the room.

"Luke's at the airport. He's about to get a cab and come here." Lorelai explained. Joel nodded in response and walked around the desk to see what she was smiling at.

"I was checking out your Facebook page and I found something amusing." She said as he looked at the screen and pointed to a post from Rory. "Joeley Bear?" She snickered.

Joel blushed slightly at the nickname Rory used. She rarely called him that in public because it kind of embarrassed him. "Yeah, uh, she calls me that sometimes." He said while rubbing his neck.

"It's cute." Lorelai said while chuckling at him. "Don't worry, most of Stars Hollow will know that nickname in a few hours. I added you as my friend on here and set it up to show that you're my son-in-law. Sorry, but you're going to be bombarded by friend requests. It's probably best to just accept them and let them pry. They really do mean well, but can come across a little strong."

Joel sighed and hung his head in defeat. He looked back up and Lorelai and asked "Have you thought any more about talking to Rory today?"

"I don't know Joel. I just don't know right now."

The phone on Joel's desk rang, interrupting the conversation and Joel quickly answered and spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

"You're husband's here." Joel informed Lorelai as he hung up the phone. "He's at the front desk." They both left the office and went straight to the front desk where Luke was waiting.

Lorelai greeted Luke with a hug and quick kiss before she turned to introduce Joel. "Luke, this is Joel Alexander; Rory's husband."

"Joel, nice to meet you." Luke said as he shook Joel's hand.

"Nice to meet you too Luke. I've heard a lot about you, so it's nice to finally put a face with a name."

"Hey, Joel, do you mind if I talk to Lorelai alone for a minute?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be in my office if you need anything." Joel said and walked away.

"Let's go up to your room and talk." Luke said as he turned to Lorelai.

She nodded and quickly escorted him upstairs to her hotel room. Once they were inside the room, Lorelai sat on the bed while Luke paced the floor with his arms folded over his chest.

"Lorelai, this is nuts!" Luke raised his voice. "You and Rory love each other. You're Mother and Daughter. You can't just keep fighting like this. Come on, we're going over to Rory's house right now and you two are going to talk."

"Luke"

"No Lorelai. This is has gotten completely out of control and is ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous Luke. Rory and I went our separate ways years ago and it seems like that was for the better. I don't want to keep arguing with her about this. She needs to apologize and accept that she ruined our relationship." Lorelai insisted as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Do you realize how nuts that sounds!" Luke scoffed. "You're her Mother Lorelai! Are you seriously telling me that you don't want to have a relationship with her? You'd really rather just go back to Stars Hollow and pretend like she never existed? That's crazy. If it wasn't for Rory you would have never moved to Stars Hollow in the first place, we wouldn't have met, gotten married, or had our kids. Are you telling me that you regret all of that?"

"I wouldn't say that I regret it, but maybe everything would have been better if things were different."

"Lorelai, for the past twenty-five years you've been affected by this. I'm not going to pretend like it's ok for you to forget about Rory."

"Luke, you didn't talk to her. You don't know what it's like. It's too hard to keep doing this. I think we should just call it quits and be happy in our own separate lives." Lorelai said.

"What the hell Lorelai? Why are you acting like this? This is insane!"

"Fine, then I'm insane. Call me crazy, but this is how life is going to work."

"Ok, so what about if one of our kids does something you don't agree with. Are you going to ignore them until they do things your way? What if Abby doesn't go to college and continues her rebellious streak? Are you just going to blow her off and walk away because you don't like the choices she made? What about Sam and Jenny. What if they have a baby sooner rather than waiting like we think they should? Are you going to stop talking to them and miss out on another grandchild?"

"They're having a baby?" Lorelai asked.

"No!" Luke said through gritted teeth. "I'm trying to explain how nuts this is to you and you just don't get it! I don't understand how you can even consider walking away from Rory. All you've ever said is how much you miss Rory and how you'd give anything to have her back. Well, here she is Lorelai!"

"I didn't think it would be like this Luke. We've both changed over the years and I just don't really think it's going to work out." Lorelai said indifferently.

"Then I can't talk to you anymore about this. You're not thinking clearly." Luke said and left the room in a huff.

Lorelai scoffed as the door closed loudly. Luke had never walked out in the middle of an argument or disagreement before. She knew that she needed to fix things with Rory, but it seemed so strange to dig up so many feelings from the past. Lorelai also struggled with understanding how Rory could have just left and built a new life that she seemed to be very happy with. Then there were Ben and Catherine. Lorelai desperately wanted to know them, but she knew that Rory wouldn't let that happen if they didn't first repair their own relationship.

Suddenly, Luke burst back into the hotel room. He shut the door quietly and took as deep breath as he sat down next to her. "Lorelai" He began. "I've sat by for far too long while you blamed Rory for this fight. I know she played a part, but I don't think you're seeing your role clearly. You fought with her too. She didn't just up and decide to leave for no reason." He held up his hand to stop Lorelai from interrupting him as he continued to speak. "Please just let me get this out. I need to apologize to you for my role in this. I really didn't do as much as I should have to get this sorted out. I should have hired a detective or some sort of investigator to find Rory even if you didn't really want to. Maybe if I'd have reached out to her she would have eventually reached back. I know how stubborn you both are and I feel like that's what really kept you apart. Neither one of you wanted to admit that you were wrong. I'm not saying that you have to fall on your face and grovel at Rory's feet, but why not just apologize and focus on the future?"

"It's not that easy Luke."

"Damn it Lorelai, you're acting just like your mother." Luke said in frustration.

"I am not!" Lorelai scoffed.

"This is classic Emily Gilmore. Stubborn as hell and refusing to apologize." Luke explained. "You have an opportunity here Lorelai. You can start to patch things up with Rory and be involved in her life again or you can never see her again. I know that sounds harsh, but if you don't swallow your pride and go apologize, you'll lose her forever. I don't really see Rory being super eager to continue a relationship with you if you reject her now. She'll just go on as she has for the past twenty-five years and you'll lose out. You can bet that her kids won't talk to you either. I haven't met them, but I'd image if they're even the slightest bit like Rory that not having a relationship would be a major loss on your part. I'd like to meet them and get to know them, but I won't be able to if you don't fix this. Please make this right Lorelai." Luke held his hand up to her lips as she tried to make an excuse and they sat in silence for a moment. "Lorelai, we're not young anymore. This may be the last chance you have. I just don't want you to walk away and regret that you never reconnected with your daughter. Don't make any more excuses. Life is too short to make excuses."

Lorelai nodded as she took in Luke's words. He was practically begging her and almost had tears in his eyes.

"How about you at least go over and see Rory again. What if she's really wanting to talk to you, but waiting for you to make a move? You both know how to contact each other now. No more excuses." Luke suggested.

"Ok, I'll go over to her house." Lorelai agreed reluctantly.

**AN: Thanks for reading! As always, please review and share your ideas/thoughts. **


	9. Chapter 9

Rory answered the front door and smiled when she saw Luke standing there. "Luke!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around him.

"Rory" He said and held her tightly.

"It's really good to see you." Rory said as she stepped back and looked at Luke. He hadn't changed much; still the same flannel shirt and baseball cap. His hair had some grey that had also traveled down to his facial hair and his face had a few wrinkles, but he still had the same grin.

"You look good Rory." He said as they entered the house.

"Are you here by yourself?"

"For now. Your husband and Lorelai dropped me off. They went to get coffee. I thought we should talk alone." Luke explained. "That sounds so weird; your husband. I still see you as a little girl, so it's hard to image little Rory all grown up and married."

Rory chuckled and shook her head as she led Luke into the living room. "Well, I've been married for a while, so you might have to get used to it." She joked. "Don't forget about the two kids." She reminded him.

"Now that's hard for me to grasp. Little Rory having two kids." Luke said and shook his head while grinning at Rory. "I bet they're great kids. Probably crazy smart like you."

"They're pretty great." Rory agreed and quickly got up off the couch and retrieved a family picture off the fireplace.

Luke took the picture and examined it carefully. "Red hair." Luke observed as he looked at the family. "Your daughter looks so much like you, but with red hair. I'd do a double take if I ran across her on the street or something." He thought out loud. "They're beautiful." Luke said as he passed the picture back to Rory.

"Thanks Luke." She said. "You can meet Ben, my son, in a little while. He and Patrick went over to Ben's school so Patrick could see what it was like. They'll be back soon." She informed him. "I really like Patrick. He's a good kid."

"Yeah, he is." Luke agreed.

"I still can't believe that you and Mom have six kids. I guess I just never imagined you wanting kids."

"It wasn't real high on my priority list." Luke admitted. "I never really wanted kids, but when I started dating your Mom the idea worked its way into my head. We talked about it briefly once and agreed that kids would be good. We never discussed it again until your Mom said she was pregnant with Patrick. I was pretty shocked, but quickly realized that I really wanted kids with your Mom. You Mom probably already told you this, but we agreed to have three, which became four, and then were surprised with Adam and Abby."

"Yes, she said that it's quite the crazy group at times and that you totally love it."

"I do." Luke nodded. "If you would have told me when I was young that I'd be married and have six kids, I would have told you that you were crazy. Meeting Lorelai changed all that and I wouldn't have my life be any other way, with one exception."

"Really? Want to return or exchange one of your kids?" Rory joked.

"No, but I would have liked you to be there when they were all growing up." He said frankly. "Look, I'm not going to hound you for what happened years ago. It sounds like you and your Mom have done enough fighting for all of us."

Rory nodded and looked down. "Yes, and Patrick has been over here this morning. We've had quite the discussion."

"Oh geez. What did he say?"

"Lots of different things. He mainly just shared his feels, which seemed to be bottled up for a while." Rory explained. "He launched into a very Luke like rant at one point."

Luke huffed and crossed his arms at Rory's words. "He can get like that sometimes. He'd be better off talking rather than waiting until he explodes."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Rory scoffed playfully. "You used to be exactly like that."

"Well, I've learned a thing or two since I married your Mom." Luke admitted. "I'm certainly not touchy feely by any means, but I share things before they become an issue."

"Wow. You're all grown up." Rory joked as Luke rolled his eyes.

"In all seriousness Rory, I don't want to argue about what happened between your Mom and you. It's between you and her. The only thing I really want to say about all that is that it was crappy for everyone and nobody wants to see your argument continue. Lots of people missed you Rory. I missed you." Luke said and took a breath. "I think you both need to move on and rebuild your relationship. I think everyone can agree that we want both of you in our lives. I'm not saying to pretend like this distance never happened. Just think about the future."

"You know, I expected to have a huge blow out fight with you Luke. Everyone else has, so I assumed you'd do the same." Rory admitted.

"I'm not really in the mood for an argument with you Rory. I think there has been plenty of that. I'm sick of all this and I'd just like to have you back in our lives."

Rory nodded and sighed. "How about a cup of tea?" She asked while standing up and walking toward the kitchen. Luke followed and was soon drinking a cup of tea while Rory poured herself a cup of coffee. She led him to the porch and sat next to him on the outdoor couch while they starred at the view of the city.

"Luke, I'd really like to be a part of your family." Rory began. "I'm just not sure how to do it. It's complicated and I don't want to get hurt again."

"I understand that." Luke agreed.

"I'm also concerned for Ben and Catherine. If this doesn't work out I don't want them getting hurt."

"Ben's already met Lorelai, so they know how to contact each other now. Plus, if they're hurt, the damage has already been done. They're adults and meeting their Grandmother for the first time. They should have known her from the time they were little." Luke said sternly. "Lorelai and I should have seen them when they were learning how to walk, had them over to the house for sleepovers, spoiled them rotten, and had the chance to be Grandparents. We missed everything. I know that can't be changed. The only thing that can be done now is to build relationships. I really want to get to know Ben and Catherine and Joel too. He seems like a good guy."

"He's a great guy." Rory agreed. "You'd really like him if you got to know him Luke. I think building new relationships sounds like a good idea. You're right that I can't change the past and that I can't control what will happen in the future. I can make my best effort and hope for the best."

"It's going to be hard work, but I think it will be very worthwhile." Luke said. "One thing in life that you won't regret is spending time with your family and getting to know them better."

"So, I guess that means Mom and I will talk whenever she and Joel get back from coffee."

"If Joel likes coffee as much as you and your Mom do, that may be a really long time from now." Luke joked.

"Joel's just as much of a coffee-holic as I am." Rory said and smiled. "It's kind of crazy actually. We've been together so long now that he anticipates all my coffee needs."

"Well, then he sounds like the perfect man." Luke joked.

As Luke and Rory continued to joke back and forth and stare at the city until Ben and Patrick walked up to them.

"You're back." Rory observed. "Ben, I want you to meet someone very special." She began while putting her arm around Luke. "This is Luke Danes. Patrick's Dad and your Grandma Lorelai's husband. He was like a father to me when I was growing up, so I think it's safe to say that you can call him 'Grandpa'."

"Luke is fine." Luke quickly insisted as he stood up and extended his hand to Ben.

"Nice to meet you Luke." Ben said as he shook Luke's hand. They both took a step back and nodded at each other while Rory shook her head.

"Why don't we all go in the house and you men can continue the starring match." She suggested and they followed her into the house. Luke and Ben stayed in the kitchen talking and getting to know each other while Patrick and Rory sat in the living room. Soon, Joel came in the house and pulled Rory aside into the office.

"Hey. Your Mom's waiting outside. She wasn't sure if she should come in or not." Joel explained. "What do you want to do?"

"I think she and I need to talk." Rory said. "I don't know how this is going to go, but I think I should give it a shot. Sounds like she wants to do the same."

"Ok, I think that's very wise and brave of you." Joel reasoned. "I love you." He said and quickly kissed her. "Whatever happens with your Mom, I'll be right here for you."

"Thanks Joel." Rory said and smiled softly before taking a deep breath. "Ok, I'm ready to talk."

"I'll go get your Mom." Joel said and followed her into the living room before going to the front door.

Minutes later, Rory and Lorelai stood in the living room with their arms crossed, both looking down at the floor. Ben, Joel, Patrick, and Luke stood around them looking at each other and back at the women, hoping they would speak to each other. Joel finally took a deep breath and shook his head as he walked over to Rory. He whispered something in her ear and gave her a small push forward.

"Joel, this isn't kindergarten." Rory said while glaring at him.

"Well, you are both acting like kindergarteners. Tell each other you're sorry and hug it out." He said in his 'Dad Voice'.

"This is your last shot." Luke said to both of them. "If you two don't make this work, Lorelai, Patrick, and I will go back to Stars Hollow. I won't keep you two from each other, but do you really think you want to walk away and never see each other again? Honestly, do either of you really want that?"

"No" Lorelai said quietly and lookup up at Rory. Rory continued to look at the ground as Lorelai walked closer. Lorelai didn't say anything, but put her arms around Rory and held her tightly. "I love you" She whispered. Rory finally relaxed and reached around her Mom to return the hug.

"I love you" Rory whispered as a few tears escaped her eyes. The men seemed to relax a little and sat in chairs scattered around the room. Rory and Lorelai stepped back from each other and smiled softly. Rory finally spoke up and said, "Mom, can we please not discuss the past right now. I've made some bad decisions and I know I'm to blame for a lot of things, but I don't think rehashing it all is going to help us rebuild our relationship."

"I agree." Lorelai nodded. "How about we talk about the present and get to know each other again."

"I'd like that." Rory agreed and led her Mom to the couch.

"I'll grab the coffee." Joel said quickly before going to the kitchen.

"He's good." Lorelai noted. "Do you ever have to ask him for a cup of coffee or does he just know when you want it?"

"I think it's more like his coffee needs have synced up with mine. He drinks just as much as I do, so whenever he wants a cup or thinks about it, he brings me a cup too."

"Luke, can you be more like Joel?" Lorelai joked as Luke shook his head.

"Ok, coffee for those that drink it and tea for those that don't." Joel said as he passed out the drinks. Lorelai smiled as Ben drank his coffee.

"You've even trained your son to be just like you." Lorelai said proudly. "Such a good little coffee drinker."

"I learned from one of the best." Ben nodded and tipped his cup to Rory.

"Patrick, if you ever have a kid, don't teach him or her to drink coffee like your sister's done." Luke instructed his son.

"Ha! Patty with a coffee drinking kid." Lorelai laughed. "That would be a sight."

"Mom." Patrick whined. "Can you please not call me 'Patty'?"

"It's cute." Rory joked.

"It makes me sound like a four year old." Patrick said. "Pat is fine, just not Patty."

"But you're still my little baby." Lorelai insisted.

"Who's grown up now." Patrick reminded her.

"I refuse to believe that." Lorelai insisted again.

"I think you're in a losing battle Mom." Rory interjected. "I still see Ben as my little baby too, but I've had to accept the fact that he's a big boy now." She said and reached over to ruffle Ben's hair as he cringed.

"Do they ever stop?" Ben asked Patrick.

"Not that I know of." Patrick answered.

"It doesn't stop." Joel informed them. "My Mom still thinks I'm a child at times and I'm nearly fifty years old."

"Hush, don't say that." Rory quickly said to Joel. "When you reveal your age it also reveals mine."

"You're younger than me."

"Yes, but only a few years. I'd prefer if my age were a mystery." Rory said.

"Everyone in this room knows how old you are." Lorelai noted.

"Well they don't need to be reminded of it." Rory insisted again playfully.

"Sorry babe. How about I make it up to you by refilling your coffee cup?" Joel joked and went to the kitchen to retrieve the coffee pot. He returned a minute later and topped off everyone's cup. "Thank goodness you're easy to please." Joel joked as he refilled Rory's cup.

"Easy?" Rory scoffed. "Are you implying something mister?"

"I think it's a proven fact." Joel smirked at her as Rory's jaw dropped and she reached over to slap him playfully. "Hey, hey." He said in self defense. "I'm just stating the truth."

"And we don't need to hear it." Luke said as he and everyone else in the room cringed.

"Yes, please don't scar me for life." Ben added.

"So, I shouldn't do this…" Joel said before leaning over and kissing Rory passionately.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Lorelai said and held up her hand to stop them as Joel pulled Rory closer to himself. Luke cleared his throat and Joel chuckled as his lips broke from Rory's.

"I think we're making them uncomfortable." He smirked.

"They do this all the time." Ben complained. "I swear sometimes it's like they're the college kids and I'm the adult."

"What? It bothers you that your parents have a healthy sex life?" Joel asked and chuckled again as Ben cringed and shivered in disgust.

"Yuck" Ben said as he stood up and left the room.

"Wait. Bennie come back." Rory called after him playfully. She laughed at his discomfort and turned so she was sitting next to Joel and facing her Mom and Luke. She laughed again when she noticed that Luke was covering his eyes. "Luke! You can uncover your eyes."

"Are you done?" Luke asked and he slowly lowered his hand.

"Oh come on Luke, we're just messing around." Rory explained.

"Well, you're not setting a very good example for your little brother." Patrick joked.

"Hey, he can crack a joke!" Joel said and everyone laughed. "You've been so serious since you've been here that I wasn't sure you ever loosened up. Good to know you've got a sense of humor."

"It comes out once in a while." Patrick mused.

"Good" Joel nodded. "Things have been a little too serious around here lately. How about we get out of here and go to dinner someplace? What about something on the waterfront?"

"That sounds nice." Lorelai answered. Luke and Patrick agreed and Ben reentered the living room at the mention of dinner and also agreed.

About an hour later Luke, Lorelai, Patrick, Ben, Joel, and Rory sat around a table at a local restaurant. Joel raised his wine glass after they had all been served and proposed a toast. "To family" He said before everyone agreed and raised their glasses.


	10. Chapter 10

After a long dinner the family stopped at Joel's hotel so Lorelai, Luke, and Patrick could gather their things. Rory insisted that they spend the night at her and Joel's place since it would be their last night in Seattle. Luke and Lorelai stayed in the guest bedroom and Patrick took Catherine's bedroom since Ben decided to also stay the night. The Danes family slept in while Ben, Joel, and Rory all woke up early the next morning. Joel was busy cooking a big breakfast in the kitchen when Lorelai entered.

"Hey Joel. Where's Rory?" Lorelai asked.

"She's out running with Ben."

"haha very funny Joel."

"I'm serious." Joel informed her.

"Rory? On a run?" Lorelai scoffed. "Really Joel. Where is she?"

"She's on a run." Joel insisted. "A couple years ago her doctor said her blood pressure was high. He recommended that she either give up coffee or start exercising every day. You know she would never give up coffee, so she started taking walks and now she runs."

"huh"

"Yeah, Ben goes with her when he's home. I think Ben's finally realizing that he can't eat like a kid and not exercise without putting on a little weight." Joel joked. "Ben's gained about 20 pounds since he started college and I think he's just now realizing it."

"He looks pretty average to me." Lorelai noted.

"Oh, he's not fat by any means." Joel quickly corrected himself. "It's just that he was skinny as a stick when he was a teenager, so I guess he's finally filling out a little. Actually, to tell you the truth, I think a girl said something to him."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, he's always been well groomed and neat, but he never used to worry about his weight or seem to be bothered that he was putting on a few pounds. The only thing that makes sense for his new interest in his appearance is a girl." Joel explained.

"Has he said anything about a girl?" Lorelai asked as she went to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup.

"Ben hasn't said anything, but that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a girlfriend or soon to be girlfriend. Ben's always been very private about his dating life. He's really only had a couple girlfriends that Rory and I knew about and none of them were serious. Ben has lots of friends, but doesn't really let any of them get too close."

"Who doesn't let people get close?" Luke asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Ben" Lorelai answered.

"Looks like you're cooking for an army." Luke observed as he looked around the kitchen. "What can I do to help?"

"Can you make a blueberry compote for the pancakes?" Joel asked.

"Of course." Luke answered and dove right into the task.

"Ohhh! Me too! What can I do?" Lorelai asked while bouncing on her toes.

"Don't let her help you." Luke answered quickly.

"Hey! I'm an ok cook!" Lorelai defended herself.

"Hey! What's going on in here?" Rory said as she bounced into the kitchen. She was wearing exercise clothes and tennis shoes with her hair pulled back into a pony tail. She smiled at everyone and stood on her toes to kiss Joel. "Good Morning" She said after their lips parted.

"Good Morning. You're sweaty." Joel noted.

"That's what happens when you run." Rory stated as Ben came into the kitchen out of breath.

"Hi" He said between breaths. "She's faster than me now." Ben said and pointed to his Mom.

"You're getting soft Ben." Rory joked and patted him on the back. "I'm going to go take a shower. Don't let Mom cook anything!" She called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Hey!" Lorelai scoffed.

"Was Rory wearing exercise clothes?" Luke asked from his spot at the stove.

"Someone's a little slow." Lorelai joked. "Yes, apparently she runs now."

Luke chuckled to himself before realizing that Lorelai was serious. "Really? Rory, your daughter, running? Is she being forced to do this?"

"It's true Luke." Joel explained. "I was telling Lorelai earlier that Rory's doctor said she had high blood pressure a while back. It was either give up coffee or start exercising."

"So she runs." Luke nodded. Lorelai rolled her eyes and poured herself another cup of coffee before leaving the kitchen and going to sit on the couch in the living room. Ben followed her and handed her half a muffin before sitting on next to her and eating the other half.

"Thanks Ben." Lorelai said before taking a bite.

"You're welcome Grandma." Ben responded as he covered his mouth.

"Grandma makes me sound so old." Lorelai said.

"You want me to cal you something else?"

"No, you don't have to. Even though it sounds old, I like being called Grandma."

"Alright…Grandma" Ben said and smiled at her. Lorelai smiled back and put her arm around his shoulders.

XXXXX

After everyone had eaten breakfast, Patrick, Luke, and Ben took a trip down to Fisherman's Terminal to check out the big commercial fishing boats. Lorelai, Rory, and Joel went to the University of Washington Campus so Lorelai could see where Rory was teaching.

"Wait. Don't you have to have some sort of Masters or teaching degree to teach college?" Lorelai asked as she, Rory, and Joel sat on a bench in the Quad at UW.

"I have a Masters degree." Rory stated as Lorelai frowned in confusion.

"What? I didn't know about that. When did you do that?"

"A couple years ago when the kids were in High School. A friend of mine was on the English Department staff here and suggested I teach a class. I agreed reluctantly, but quickly realized that I loved it. Since I was a guest lecturer, they waived the Masters degree requirement temporarily. Joel and I discussed it and both agreed that I should pursue a career change, so I got a Masters degree in English Literature. It took a couple years, but I did it and plan to eventually become a full time professor here." Rory explained.

"Wow. Good for you Rory. I'm so proud of you for doing that." Lorelai said.

"That's not all." Joel interjected. "She's also working on a PhD in English Lit." He said proudly.

"What? Wow! That's great Rory! Why didn't you say something soon?"

"It's not that big of a deal and I don't really like bragging about it." Rory said while shaking her head.

"It is a big deal." Lorelai said softly. "I'm very proud of you. Dr. Gilmore. Sounds nice."

"Alexander" Rory corrected her.

"Right. Sorry." Lorelai apologized. "That's not the first time I've done that. Sorry. You'd think I'd know my daughter's last name. Sorry. Dr. Alexander."

"It's ok." Rory assured her. "It's not Dr. just yet. I still have a long way to go before I'm done. I've just started the process, so it could take several years. I'm still hesitant if I should even do it right now."

"Rory, we've already discussed this. The timing is fine." Joel insisted.

"I keep thinking that it's too expensive to go back to school right now." Rory informed Lorelai. "We've got two kids in school and Joel is thinking of buying the hotel in the next couple of years. Plus, I've been working less at the paper since I started teaching, so my pay took a hit. Add my PhD to all of that and it's a strain on our finances."

"Rory, we're fine." Joel insisted. "We saved for the kids college, so that's covered. We've cut back on other expenses and I can get a loan to buy the hotel, if we decide that we want to buy it. It's really not a problem. I'd rather you follow your dream than not do it because you're worried about money."

"Luke and I could help you out, if you'd like." Lorelai offered.

"No, Mom. Thanks, but you've probably got enough expenses putting kids through college." Rory said.

"Actually, your Grandma and Grandpa left a bunch of money for the kids, so Luke and I haven't had to pay anything for college." Lorelai explained.

"Really?" Rory asked.

"Yes. Your Grandpa only met Patrick, but he put a provision in his will that any children I had would be set up with trusts for college expenses. Grandma made sure his wishes were carried out after they were all born. She was tickled pink that Luke and I had a big family. Crazy as it sounds, she loved having all the kids over for play dates and Friday night dinners. She must have gotten soft in her old age." Lorelai joked. "No one would ever think Emily Gilmore would find joy in playing on the floor with a rambunctious group of kids. I think she really enjoyed herself though. She especially loved buying fancy dresses for Abby, which Abby totally hated."

"Sounds nice." Rory said. "It's good that Grandma got to spend time with them."

"She would have loved Ben and Catherine too Rory." Lorelai said. "She often asked me if I'd heard anything from you. It was never in public, but she'd just pull me aside or whisper in my ear. She loved you a lot kiddo."

Rory sighed and shook her head. "I really wish I hadn't left." She admitted. "I definitely don't regret where my life ended up. Joel and the kids are great and I wouldn't trade them for anything. But, I should have called you or come back sooner. I guess I just have to live with the consequences of my choices."

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself." Lorelai said and wrapped her arm around her daughter. "It's in the past and you can't change anything. I wish things were different too, but we just have to focus on making the future better."

"You're right." Rory agreed. "How about we take the first step by getting a cup of coffee?"

"I could go for that." Joel answered and stood up, offering his hand to Rory. She smiled and linked arms with him as the three walked toward a local coffee shop close to campus. Once they were inside Joel quickly ordered three cups of coffee and brought them to the table Rory and Lorelai sat at.

"This place never changes." Rory said as Joel sat next to her and held her hand. "Joel and I met here." She said warmly and smiled at her husband.

"My sister introduced us." Joel said. "I was mesmerized by this beautiful, funny, intelligent woman who'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I knew the first day I met her that I was going to marry her. It sounds cheesy, but that's honestly how it happened."

"I have to say I was equally impressed with him, but not at first met." Rory explained to Lorelai. "It was raining, of course, and for some reason he rode his bike to the coffee shop. By the time he came in he was pretty wet and his shoes made this awful squeaky squishy sound. Plus, he spilled some of his coffee on me at one point."

"I was pretty pathetic that night." Joel admitted and squeezed Rory's hand. "You on the other hand were pretty cool about the coffee spilling and didn't seem to write me off as a clumsy nerd. You definitely didn't have the same feelings I had for you, but you gave me a chance."

"Yes, you didn't make the best first impression, but the second was much better." Rory recalled. "Same coffee shop, a few days later. You were semi dressed up and most importantly, dry. I think I must have mentioned to you on our first meeting that I drank a lot of coffee because you got me a whole pot of coffee instead of just a cup on that second meeting. I was very impressed that you remembered what I'd said. Naturally, I quickly realized what a great guy you were and snatched you up before some other girl did." Rory said playfully before planting a quick kiss on Joel's lips. She turned back to Lorelai and said, "Joel had this way of understanding me like no one else ever had. He saw me."

"Sounds nice." Lorelai said. "How long did you date before you got married?"

"Well, we started dating in the spring and were married December of the same year, so about six or seven months." Joel answered.

"That's fast." Lorelai noted.

"But, good." Rory added and patted Joel's leg with her hand. "Can we get a little more coffee?" Rory asked Joel, who nodded and took all three cups and walked to the counter for refills.

"I'm glad you've had someone to share your life with Rory." Lorelai said after Joel left the table.

"Thanks Mom. We're really happy together. Neither one of us is perfect, but we love each other and always make everything work out." Rory explained.

"Who makes what work?" Joel asked as he returned with more coffee.

"We make everything work." Rory said.

"Oh yeah, like I'd ever let you get away." Joel said. "You're stuck with me for life whether you like it or not."

"Rats." Rory joked and kissed Joel again.

"You two are too much." Lorelai said and shook her head. "No wonder Ben is embarrassed by you."

"Sorry, we can't help it." Rory said and shrugged.

XXXXX

"So, we'll see you in a couple weeks." Lorelai said after releasing Rory from a tight hug.

"Are you sure it's not too much trouble for the entire Danes clan to come out here?" Rory asked skeptically.

"No trouble at all. We could all use a little vacation and I think they're all really looking forward to meeting you." Lorelai insisted.

"Good because I'm really excited to meet them." Rory said.

"You'll have Catherine call me and arrange a time that we can all meet her?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes. I'm sure she'll make time for a weekend visit." Rory answered.

"Good" Lorelai said as she pulled Rory in for one last hug. A taxi pulled up to the house and waited as everyone else exchanged hugs and goodbyes. Patrick, Luke, and Lorelai eventually got into the taxi and it whisked them off to the airport.

As they drove off, Joel stood behind Rory and put his arms around her waist. "I'm really proud of you Rory. You did it. Are you happy?"

"Yes. I think I made the right decision. I just wish we didn't have to wait so long to meet the rest of the family." Rory sighed.

"They're coming out in a couple weeks. It'll go by fast and you'll talk to your Mom on the phone before then."

"I guess."

"You'll see. They'll be here before you know it."

**AN: Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be the beginning of the entire family getting together. So, if you want to see anything happen or have any suggestions, leave a review or send me a PM. Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I received several messages begging for an update (yes, begging really does work!). So, I thought I'd treat you all to a nice long chapter. I hope you like it.**

Catherine sat nervously in a pub near campus. She was waiting for Jenny Danes. After everything that happened between her Mother and Grandmother, Catherine really wanted to meet Lorelai, but she felt really awkward about it. So, she'd searched the campus directory and found Jenny's email address. After several emails back and forth, they agreed to meet up at the pub. Jenny seemed really nice and had suggested that Catherine come to Stars Hollow for the weekend. It was easier to just meet up at the pub, so Catherine sat there with a small duffle bag at her feet waiting for Jenny to show up. A few minutes later a woman came into the pub and smiled when she saw Catherine.

"Are you Catherine Alexander?" She asked politely.

"Yes. You must be Jenny Danes." Catherine said while standing up and shaking Jenny's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Very nice to meet you as well." Jenny said. "Ready to head out?"

"Yeah" Catherine said and picked up her bag before following Jenny out to her car. Minutes later they were on their way to Stars Hollow.

"So, you want to stop by my place and meet Sam?"

"Sam's your husband, right?"

"Yes." Jenny confirmed. "We live in Stars Hollow and I commute to Yale for classes. We actually live in Lorelai's old house. Your Mom grew up there."

"That's cool. Kind of nice to pass along the memories." Catherine said.

"Yeah, that and the rent's cheap." Jenny joked. "Did someone give you a cheat sheet on this family?"

"What?"

"A cheat sheet." Jenny stated before carefully reaching into the center console and pulling out a small sheet of paper with names on it. "That's the Danes family tree cliff notes version. It's got names, ages, significant others, and occupations. This family is big and crazy and hard to keep track of when you first meet them. I thought that would come in handy so you don't get too confused. Keep it in your pocket and you can sneak a peek at it if you get confused."

"Thank you. I'm sure this will come in handy." Catherine noted. "My Mom already explained everyone, but I'm not sure that I've got it."

"Well, let's have a quiz." Jenny joked. "Name all of Luke and Lorelai's children."

"Ok" Catherine said seriously. "Patrick, Will, Sam, Jonathan, Adam, and Abby."

"Nicely done." Jenny complimented her.

"Sam is the only one who's married and he's married to you, which makes you my aunt." Catherine explained.

"Someone's got the family trivia down." Jenny joked.

"Sorry, when I'm nervous I tend to compensate by over preparing and studying every detail."

"No need to apologize. It's totally fine." Jenny tried to reassure her. "This is a big intense family, but they're going to love you. Just relax and be yourself."

"Thanks. I'm not really that nervous to meet my uncles and aunt, it's Grandma that I'm nervous about." Catherine explained. "I hope she's able to see me for who I am and not link me to the stained relationship she has with my Mom."

"Lorelai is going to love you Catherine. Don't worry, she'll see you for who you really are. It may be awkward and strange at first, but mainly because you won't know how to react around each other. It's not like you're a child she can spoil and win over. You're an adult who I'm assuming can't be easily bought. Plus, she's still adjusting to the fact that she's a Grandmother. Just take it easy and don't set your expectations too high. This is supposed to be a happy low key weekend."

"It's hard for a weekend to be low key when you're meeting your Grandma for the first time." Catherine said. "I wish I wasn't in this situation. It kind of sucks."

"I bet it does." Jenny agreed. "I have to give you credit for being brave enough to do this on your own."

"Honestly, I debated on whether or not to meet everyone this weekend. I really do want to get to know you all, but it's a lot to take in."

"If you get overwhelmed or need a break, just let me know." Jenny offered. "I don't know if I mentioned this or not in one of my emails, but I spoke with Lorelai about where you'll be staying. She'd like you to stay at her house, but understands how awkward it may be. So, you have a couple of options. You can stay in a guest room at her house, stay with Sam and I, or we can get you a room at The Dragonfly. It's completely up to you. Just let me know and I'll take care of everything."

"Thanks. I think staying with you seems a little more comfortable than at Grandmas. At least for this visit." Catherine explained as Jenny pulled the car into her driveway.

"Ok, well we're here. We've got a nice room you can use, so just bring your bag with you." She explained as they both got out of the car. Catherine gathered her things and followed Jenny up the steps and into the house. "Sam should be home any time now. I'll get you get up in the guest room and show you around until he gets here." Jenny said and led Catherine toward the kitchen and into Rory's old bedroom. "This was actually you're Mom's bedroom when she was a kid."

"Really? Wow." Catherine said as she looked around and set her bag on the bed. It didn't look much like anything other than a guest room now. The walls had been painted a light yellow with white floorboards and crown moldings. Overall, it was a very nice room.

"Ok, you want to see the rest of this place?" Jenny asked and Catherine nodded in response. They took a quick tour of the house before Sam came home and found them in the kitchen drinking coffee.

"Hi" Sam said and quickly kissed Jenny before turning to Catherine. "Hi, I'm Sam." He said before extending his hand to her.

"Catherine. Nice to meet you Sam." She said as they shook hands.

"So, you're a student at Yale?" Sam asked.

"Yes, pre-law."

"Good for you. I was never really into school, so the whole college thing really wasn't for me." He explained and shrugged his shoulders.

"You could still go." Jenny encouraged him. "It's not too late."

"Nah, it's not for me. I really like my job, so what do I need to go to college for?" Sam explained. "I work at Home Depot, Catherine."

"I know. My Mom told me."

"Really? What else did she tell you about me?" He wondered.

"Well, not much, she doesn't really know you. She just knows what Grandma told her."

"Speaking of which, we should probably head over there soon." Jenny noted. "I told them we'd be over around seven and it's a little after. I'm sure Lorelai's a nervous wreck by now."

"Are you ready for this?" Sam asked Catherine.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Catherine said and chuckled nervously. Jenny and Sam led the way through town as Catherine followed. "So, Sam, how long have you been working at Home Depot?" Catherine said in an effort to make conversation.

"I started there right after graduating High School, so about three years now. My real love is actually fishing, but Jenny really didn't like having me gone so long and doing dangerous work. In high school I'd go out fishing with a couple big boats for the summer or up to Massachusetts or Maine to work in the Lobster business." Sam said.

"It paid really well, but I really didn't like him gone all the time or that he could get seriously injured. That kind of makes me sound controlling, but after spending a couple summers apart, I realized how much I would hate doing that on a more permanent basis. Sam can still go out if he wants on special trips, but there hard to work around his full time job." Jenny explained as Sam wrapped his arm around her waist while they all continued to walk.

"Plus, once we have kids I wouldn't want to be away that long. I also don't think it would be very good to put myself at risk with a family counting on me."

"But that won't be for several more years." Jenny quickly clarified. "I need to graduate and start my career first."

"You're studying Finance?" Catherine asked and Jenny nodded in clarification.

"I'm just a sophomore, so I'm still doing the general requirements, but I'd love to do investment finance or work for a stock brokerage firm." Jenny explained while Sam smiled proudly.

"Good for you. Once I start making some money I may have to get some investment advice from you." Catherine said and Jenny nodded. "Oh my gosh. Uncle Sam!" Catherine suddenly said and started laughing.

"What?" He asked, not understanding the joke.

"You're Uncle Sam!" Catherine said again as Jenny smiled in realization.

"So?"

"So, now I'm totally going to call you that and sing patriotic songs when I'm around you!"

"Geez" Sam sighed and shook his head. "You're totally related to Mom. Always trying to embarrass me."

Jenny and Catherine laughed as they walked up to Luke and Lorelai's house. "Wow, this place is big." Catherine noted.

"Yes, it's a really old house that Luke always had his eye on as a kid. It used to be called The Twickam House after the former resident, but now everyone refers to it as The Danes House." Jenny said as she opened the front door and ushered Catherine inside. "Hey, we're here." She called out and heard someone walking quickly toward them.

"Hi" Lorelai said as she practically bounced toward them. She stopped in front of Catherine and looked at her for a moment before hugging her. Catherine was a bit taken aback, but returned the hug. Lorelai released her and sighed happily as she continued to look at Catherine. "You're beautiful Catherine. You look so much like your Mom when she was your age. I'm so happy to meet you."

"It's nice to finally meet you Grandma." Catherine said genuinely. Lorelai continued to stare at her with tears in her eyes until Luke cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry." Lorelai said and turned to see the entire family gathered behind her. "Catherine, this is everyone." She said as she took Catherine by the hand and introducing her to each family member. They each greeted her warmly and seemed to be happy to see her. After all the introductions had been made, Luke informed them that dinner was ready and ushered everyone into the dining room.

"We're having Lasagna." Jonathan informed Catherine. "It's Dad's specialty and my favorite."

"I hope you like Lasagna. I guess I should have asked you." Lorelai said with worry in her voice.

"It's one of my favorites." Catherine said and smiled. "Mom makes really good lasagna." She said dreamily.

"I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to the idea of Rory cooking, let alone have anyone love her cooking." Lorelai joked.

"It's hard for me to imagine her not being a great cook." Catherine countered.

"Amazing what time will do." Luke said as he set a big lasagna in the middle of the table. He put his hand on Catherine's shoulder and encouraged her to go first before sitting at the head of the table next to Lorelai. Everyone laughed when they saw that Catherine seemed to have the same apatite as Lorelai, which caused Catherine to blush slightly.

"So, Catherine, what do you think of Yale?" Luke asked after everyone had served themselves.

"I really like it. It's my first year, so I may feel differently by the time I'm done." She joked.

"Maybe." Luke said. "Lorelai, er, uh, your Grandma, says you're studying law?"

"Yes. I'm pre-law. Hopefully I'll be able to get my law degree from Yale once I finish my undergraduate degree."

"Very ambitious." Will confirmed. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Everyone continued to chat amicably throughout the meal and gathered in the living room with various beverages afterword.

"Catherine, I feel like we've all been quizzing you all night long." Lorelai said.

"It's ok. I've been quizzing you too."

"Do you mind if we take a walk? Just the two of us?" Lorelai asked the entire room. Everyone nodded and Catherine and Lorelai soon found themselves walking around the town square arm in arm.

"I'm so happy you're here Catherine." Lorelai began. "As you know, your Mom and I have many issues from the past. We're working on them, but it's going to take some time. I was stunned to find out that I had two grown Grandchildren. I'd really like to be close with both you and your brother. I also want you to know that my relationship with you is separate from my relationship with Rory, meaning that you and I start from today and go forward regardless of what happens with your Mom and me. Ok?"

Catherine thought for a moment before answering, "Ok". "I honestly don't know much of what happened between you two, but I don't particularly want to know at this point. I'd rather just get to know you. This is really awkward, you know. I don't really know what the protocol is for meeting your grandmother for the first time."

Lorelai smiled and patted her arm. "Ben said the same thing when I met him. We ended up just going out for coffee and talking. I say we do the same. Let's just get to know each other one step at a time. No pressure."

"Ok, I can go for that." Catherine smiled.

"What's your favorite color?" Lorelai quickly asked.

"Hhhhmm. Well, I don't really have a favorite."

"Oh come on. It's ok. I won't judge you." Lorelai joked. "Let me guess, pink?"

"Ha, no." Catherine joked.

"Yeah, you don't really seem like a covered in pink girl."

"Not really. I like it a little, but it's not my favorite." Catherine explained. "I guess if I had to pick a favorite, it would be blue."

"The color of those beautiful eyes of yours." Lorelai mused. "A Gilmore trait."

"Unlike this red hair of mine." Catherine said and twirled a finger through her hair.

"You don't like it?"

"I like it most of the time."

"I think it's gorgeous Catherine." Lorelai complimented. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Your Mom told me that you insist on being called 'Catherine' and not Cate or Catie." Lorelai said. "Would it be ok if I called you Catie? Catherine just seems so formal right now. I know it's your name and you have every right to be called whatever you like. It's just that I didn't know you as a little kid and calling you Catherine reminds me that your all grown up."

"Catie is fine if you'd like." Catherine said easily. "I insisted on being called Catherine because I felt like Catie was a little girl's name and I wanted to be a grown up. Now that I'm older, the nickname is fine, especially with my newly discovered Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles."

"Ok, thanks Catie." Lorelai said and squeezed her arm.

"What am I supposed to call your husband? Do I call him Grandpa or Luke?"

"Whatever you want. It's really up to you."

"That doesn't help me chose." Catherine joked. "Can I also just say that it's weird to have aunts and uncles that are my own age?"

"Yes, it is kind of weird. It's weird for me to have Grandkids that are my kids age. It makes sense since Rory is so much older than them, but it still feels odd." Lorelai noted. "Hey, can I give you some advice?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Don't grow up too fast. I know you're young and you're in college and the last thing you want is to be treated like a kid. Soon enough you'll be a grown woman with more responsibilities than you'll know what to do with. Don't rush into it too fast, ok? You're a smart driven woman which is very admirable, but don't forget to enjoy your college years."

"Funny, my Mom said the same thing when I started school last fall. I promised her that I'd take time to play a little now and then."

"Good. That Mom of yours must be a smart woman." Lorelai joked. "Speaking of playing, how about we do a little shopping tomorrow afternoon? Let me have a chance to spoil you a bit."

"As if I'm not spoiled enough." Catherine joked. "Sounds like fun. Let's do it."

XXXXX

The next morning, both Jenny and Catherine woke up early. Catherine was sitting in the kitchen reading the paper when Jenny came down.

"Hi, you're an early riser too?" She asked while going to get a cup of coffee.

"Yes, I don't really sleep in much." Catherine explained. "I hope you don't mind, but I helped myself to your paper and made a pot of coffee."

"That's fine. I was expecting you to still be sleeping, so it's nice to have the coffee made already. Sam always sleeps in late on Saturday. It's a Gilmore trait. You won't see Lorelai before 10am today." Jenny explained.

"Yeah, my Mom sleeps in on Saturdays too, but not all the time. My Dad's an early riser, so I think he may have influenced her to change her ways." Catherine said. Jenny nodded and sat at the table before picking up part of the newspaper Catherine had already read.

"When you're done with the paper, we should head to Luke's for breakfast." Jenny suggested.

"Oh, yes, let's do that. My Mom raved about Luke's, so I have to check it out for myself."

"Morning" Same grumbled as he shuffled into the kitchen wearing a t-shirt and boxers.

"Good Morning." Jenny greeted him warming. "What are you doing up? It's a bit early for you."

"Last night you said you wanted to go to Luke's early." He said while slowly getting himself a cup of coffee. "And the bed was cold."

"Yes, we're going in a few minutes. You don't have to go. You can go back to sleep."

"No, I'll go." He said and sat at the table. "I'm up now. Just need some coffee and a shower."

"And clothes" Catherine informed him.

"Oh, sorry" Sam said and blushed slightly. "We don't often have overnight guests. I guess I should go change."

"It's ok. You can finish your coffee first."

"At least he put a shirt on before coming down." Jenny joked and kissed his check.

"uh, yeah. I'd prefer not to see anything like that." Catherine said and cringed slightly.

"Good coffee." Sam said to change the subject.

"Thanks. I made it." Catherine said.

"You know what you're doing."

"I'm from Seattle. It's second nature." She responded.

"Well, just don't let too many people know that or you'll be forced to make coffee at Luke's 24/7. You'll have to give up on being a lawyer and be Stars Hollow's personal barista." Jenny joked.

"I have to say I'm surprised that I haven't been attacked by any of the Stars Hollow folk."

"We haven't let you out of our sights, so they wouldn't dare come up to you when we're guarding you." Sam mumbled and finished his cup of coffee. He got up from the table and refilled the cup before leaving the kitchen and going upstairs.

"I guess he's going to shower?" Jenny questioned and shrugged. "He's really not a morning person."

"Apparently not." Catherine agreed.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I'll go see if Sam doesn't mind meeting up with us when he's done." Jenny said before quickly going upstairs. She returned a minute later and started to put her coat on. "He said he'll meet us there."

"Ok" Catherine nodded and also grabbed her coat before following Jenny outside.

"So, what do you think so far?" Jenny whispered to her.

"It's good. Not as awkward and uncomfortable as I thought it would be. I like everyone and they seem to like me, so I guess it's going well."

"Eh, we're tolerating you." Jenny joked before quickly clarifying, "no, we really do like you Catherine. You're one of us you know. Not just because we're related by blood, but because we seem to fit together."

Catherine smiled and nodded as they continued to walk toward Luke's. Once they entered the diner, Jenny quickly grabbed a table near the window.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to see you two this morning" Luke said as he brought two cups of coffee to the table.

"I had to see what this place was all about." Catherine explained. "Mom raved about it, so I had to make sure she wasn't lying to me."

"Ok, well, what can I get you to eat?"

"The usual and the same for Catherine." Jenny answered. "Trust me, you'll love it." She said quietly to Catherine while leaning over the table.

"Ok, it'll be right up" Luke said and walked back into the kitchen.

"This place is cool. Good vibe." Catherine observed before leaning over the table and whispering to Jenny. "Is it just me or are these people starring at me?"

"They're starring."

"Anything I should do about it?"

"Try to ignore it." Jenny shrugged. "I think most people know that Rory's daughter was coming for a visit, so they're just trying to figure out if you're who they think you are. You look a lot like your Mom, according to Lorelai, so I'm sure they're also doing a double take and thinking you're her. Just try to ignore it. If it gets bad, we'll tell Luke and he'll take care of it."

As if Luke had been listening to Jenny and Catherine's conversation, he came out and looked around the diner. "Hey, there's nothing to see here people. Keep your eyes on your own table or get out." Which caused everyone to jump and do as they were told.

"Freaky" Catherine whispered and Jenny chuckled. Sam entered the diner and quietly sat at their table until Jenny passed him her cup of coffee. "You need this more than I do." She said and he thanked her before drinking a big sip. Jenny looked at him for a minute and said, "You didn't shave this morning and you're wearing a flannel shirt and Jeans. I didn't realized today was 'dress like Luke' day."

"Tired" was all he mustered in response.

"Sammy, you can go back to bed, it's ok." She said warmly and ran her hand through his hair.

"No, I'll be ok. Just need more coffee and some food."

Luke brought Catherine and Jenny's food and looked at Sam for a minute before bringing another cup of coffee for Jenny and refills for everyone else. "You're up early Sam." Luke observed. "Want some oatmeal?"

"And fruit" Sam said before yawning. Luke nodded and quickly brought his son's requested breakfast.

"Wow. You and Grandpa really do look alike." Catherine said after Luke left. "I didn't realize until you were next to each other, but there is a crazy resemblance."

"You should see a real 'dress up like Luke day'." Jenny said seriously.

"Come on. They don't really do that, do they?"

"They certainly do. It's usually around Luke's birthday. When all the boys were little, Lorelai would occasionally dress them all in jeans and flannel shirts just to buy Luke. As they got older, they all agreed to dress exactly like him at least once a year. They wear jeans, flannel shirts, backwards baseball caps, and don't shave. Recently, it's evolved into Lorelai, Abby, and me participating also. Of course, we tend to look a lot cuter than they all do, but it's fun to participate as well."

Catherine laughed at the visual image, but thought it sounded like a fun family event. "You have to show me pictures." She told Jenny.

"Hey! Mind if I join you?" Adam said after he walked into the diner and up to their table.

"Sure" Jenny shrugged and Adam sat down.

"Someone's chipper this morning." Catherine noted.

"Every morning." Jenny quickly informed her. "Adam's a major morning person."

"The ways in which this family is different and the same are amazing and completely confusing." Cather shook her head.

"Just wait until we're all spending time with your family in Seattle. Then you'll really see it." Jenny replied.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I'm back! Sorry for the delay in updating, but real life got in the way. I should be back to updating regularly now. **

Catherine answered her cell phone and was immediately bombarded by her Mother's voice.

"I know I said I would wait until you were back at school to call, but I can't wait any longer." Rory quickly said. "Tell me how the trip is going? Are they treating you well? Has everyone in Stars Hollow completely bombarded you?"

"You mean like you're doing right now?" Catherine joked.

"Sorry." Rory said and took a deep breath. "Tell me all about everything Catherine."

"Ok, well, first of all, the trip is going really well. I have to say that Jenny is awesome. We're getting along famously and I'm staying with her and Sam. They actually live in the same house you grew up in, so I'm staying in your old room."

"Wow. That must be kind of weird. Where are Luke and my Mom living?"

"Some old place that used to be called The Twickam House. Jenny said I could stay there or with her and Sam. I opted to stay with Jenny simply because there were fewer people." Catherine explained. "Oh my gosh Mom, you're going to love your brothers and sister so much. They're all really awesome people. They're not all alike like I somehow imagined them to be. I mean, I know they are all separate individuals, but I imagined all the boys at least to be similar. In reality, the only thing they all have in common is that their looks. Patrick, Will, Sam, and Jonathan look a lot like Luke. Adam looks like Luke too, but I see more Lorelai in him. Abby is stunningly beautiful and everyone in town says she is an exact copy of Lorelai at that age."

"Good. I'm really glad you're getting to know them Catherine. I wish you'd known them from the beginning." Rory admitted.

"Mom, you've seriously got to stop beating yourself up over that. We all know you regret what happened, but it can't be changed. The important thing is that we all get to know each other now." Catherine said.

"You're right Catherine." Rory agreed. "What did you think of your Grandma Lorelai?"

"Well, she's everything you described her as, but at the same time completely different. I sort of understand some of the issues you two have, but it's all second hand information to me. The Lorelai I met seemed completely different than the Lorelai you very rarely told me about. I really like her. She seems to understand me. She's funny and totally up on pop culture, which makes it so much more fun to hang out together."

"You two spent some time hanging out alone?"

"Yeah. We went shopping earlier today and out for lunch. It was a total blast. I'm so glad Yale is close to Stars Hollow because we're going to be spending a lot of time together. Jenny drives back and forth all the time, so she said I could ride with her any time I want." Catherine said happily.

"Oh, well, that's great. You should have a good relationship with everyone I guess."

"Mom, everything ok? You don't seem real happy about all this." Catherine asked.

"Well" Rory hesitated. "It's just that I'm a little jealous, to be honest. You know how much I regret the current state of my relationship with your Grandma. I just wish I had the awesome relationship that she and I used to have."

"oh, sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories or anything. I'm just excited that everything is working out so well and that they all seem to like me."

"Don't apologize Catherine. You should be enjoying yourself." Rory assured her and quickly changed the subject. "Anything else fun happen in Stars Hollow? How are the crazy townies?"

"From what I can tell, they're as crazy as ever. There are these two really old ladies that are a hoot. I think you used to know them; Miss Patty and Babette?"

"Oh, did I ever. How are those two?"

"Good, I think. They practically shanghaied me and drug me into Miss Patty's dance studio to talk. They wanted to know all the details about our family and what you've been doing for the last couple decades. I gave them the short version of the story and showed them a few pictures on my phone, which seemed to quell their curiosities for the time being. You do know that sooner or later you'll have to come back to Stars Hollow, right? I'm pretty sure if you don't most of the people here will hunt you down." Catherine explained.

"You're probably right about that Catherine. Thanks for taking some of the flak on that. I'm sure you're getting sick of answering questions." Rory noted and shook her head. "So, what about the rest of the town? Anyone else interesting? Anyone new?"

"I'm still not really sure who's new and who's not, but there are some other interesting people. Kirk, of course is interesting. Grandma spent about an hour telling me all about him and the ridiculous things he's done over the years." Catherine casually explained. "There are some younger people that are interesting too."

"Young as in young men?" Rory asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Well…" Catherine said while blushing slightly.

"Ok, spill." Rory insisted. "I love everyone in Stars Hollow, but who could you possibly find attractive? Please, oh please, tell me there isn't a Kirk Jr. and that he's not the one."

"Well…" Catherine teased before clarifying. "There is a Kirk Jr., but I don't really think he's my type."

"Thank God. I have nothing against Kirk, but could not have him as an in-law." Rory said in relief. "Come on, quit stalling, tell me about this young man that caught your eye. Is he tall dark and handsome?"

"Sort of. He's tall and has dark hair." Catherine explained. "I ran into him at Weston's after Grandma and I finished our shopping trip. I just went to pick up some cupcakes for later and he was picking up a cake for his sister's birthday party. We ended up sitting down and having a cup of coffee and talking for about an hour."

"Interesting. Who is this guy? You don't normally act impulsively with guys, so he must be something to have caught your eye."

"He might be." Catherine said. "I just met him, so I need to get to know him more, but I'm very interested."

"Care to share any more details than that? What about a name and age?"

"I don't want to jinx it." Catherine said.

"You're not going to jinx it Catherine. If it's meant to be then it will work out." Rory said firmly. "Now, give me the details."

"Ok, fine. His name is Jeremy and he's twenty-two. He grew up in Stars Hollow and is about to graduate from Connecticut State University with a degree in construction management. His dad owns a construction company and Jeremy want to take it over some day. He has an older brother who also works with their dad. His parents are divorced, but are both remarried. He lives with his Dad, stepmom, and two step sisters." Catherine explained. "He's tall, six foot three, and has brown eyes and brown hair."

"You sound smitten."

"Maybe" Catherine blushed. "I just think he's interesting and I want to know more."

"I wonder if I knew his parents. What's his last name?"

"Forrester."

"oh…." Rory said in shock.

"What? You know them or something?" Catherine asked, completely unaware of what the problem was.

"Oh, I certainly know his Dad. Dean Forrester was my first boyfriend and some other firsts that you probably don't want to know about." Rory explained while cringing slightly.

"hhmmm…that's kind of awkward." Catherine noted. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, I don't think so. Just a little weird for me, but that shouldn't stop you. Wow. Dean has a kid that may be dating my daughter. Definitely didn't see that one coming." Rory said.

"Well, don't get too bent out of shape over it. I've got a lot to keep me occupied at school and I'm not planning on rushing into anything with Jeremy, so don't panic just yet."

"I'll try to relax." Rory joked. "Just be yourself and don't do anything on impulse." Rory advised.

"Advice from experience?"

"Yes, but you probably don't want the details."

"Ok, I'll remember that. You know that I'm not impulsive, so there's nothing to worry about." Catherine said and looked down at her watch. She quickly realized that she was late for dinner with the Danes family and hastily ended her conversation with her Mom. "I'm sorry Mom, but I just realized I'm late for dinner. Call you later?"

"Sure"

"Bye Mom." She said and hung up the phone.

XXXXX

"Was that Catherine?" Joel asked as Rory hung up the phone.

"Yes, I wanted to hear how everything is going in Stars Hollow." Rory explained and frowned as she set her phone down on the kitchen counter.

"What's wrong? Things not going ok?" Joel asked and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the counter opposite of Rory.

"Things are going great with the family." Rory said explained. "It's just that Catherine met someone. A young man someone and she sounds different. She sounds like she's possibly falling for him, which I know is crazy to think because they literally just met, but I really think she may be falling for him."

Joel also frowned and thought about the information for a minute. "I don't know that I like her falling for a guy so soon. I know she's not a little girl anymore, but I also don't want her to get hurt. I just hope she doesn't rush into anything."

"Yeah. I told her the same thing. However, I think I'm more worried about who this guy is."

"Who is he?"

"His name's Jeremy Forrester." Rory stated and waited to see if Joel reacted. He continued to frown until his eyes widened and he looked at Rory.

"Forrester as in Dean Forrester? Dean as in your first boyfriend and the guy you lost your virginity to?"

"That's the one." Rory sighed. "Jeremy's his son, according to what Catherine said."

"I don't like this kid." Joel said and began to reach for Rory's cell phone before she stopped him.

"Don't call her Joel. It'll just make the situation more complicated and turn her against us and toward Jeremy."

"So, you're not completely against this?"

"I'm not entirely for it, but I think we should let Catherine be the judge of him." Rory said.

"Well, I'm not so sure. That Dean was a complete asshole. I'm not letting Catherine be the victim of his kid." Joel insisted.

"Jeremy isn't Dean."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you." Rory argued.

"You know my opinion of Dean, so I'm not just going to assume this Jeremy is a completely different person." Joel said.

"I know. I just don't want to create any drama with Catherine."

Joel sighed and shook his head as he looked at Rory. "Look, I get that you don't want any drama in your relationships right now, but I'm having a hard time with this situation. Catherine is her own person and has the right to date whoever she wants, but I don't understand why you aren't more upset about the person she chose. You're so passive lately."

"Ok, I'll just get all upset, hope on a plane, drive to Stars Hollow, and demand that Catherine never see Jeremy again." Rory huffed. "I'm pretty sure that would not go over well Joel."

"I'm pretty sure that would be better than shrugging your shoulders and saying nothing." Joel insisted. "I don't want her sleeping with that little asshole! I don't want her getting her heart broken!"

"Whoa, calm down Joel. They just met. I seriously doubt she's going to sleep with him anytime soon." Rory said and frowned. Joel seemed really worked up, but she couldn't figure out why. Catherine had dated other guys in the past and Joel had been fairly calm, so she didn't get his newfound anger. "Joel, I know you want to protect our daughter and I really admire you for that, but I think you're getting a little worked up about this. It's really not that big of a deal right now."

"I'm sorry." Joel sighed. "I just really don't like that Dean guy and I can't trust his son with our daughter. From everything you said about Dean, I just can't like him. I know he probably is an ok guy and I'm being unfair by judging him, but I don't like what he did to you. Yes, you were an adult too, but he was married and should have been able to stand up and be a man. I just feel like he used you and that makes me really upset. I don't want that to happen to Catherine."

Rory nodded and walked over to Joel before hugging him tightly. "I'll talk to her and convey our concern." She assured him.

"That's all I'm asking." He responded and rubbed her back gently. "I want her to have the best and to enjoy her college years. If she meets someone she'd like to date, fine, but I don't want her to look back on her college years and have regrets because of a guy."

XXXXX

Catherine spent Sunday evening with the Danes family eating dinner and enjoying their company. As the evening drew to a close, Jeremy texted Catherine and asked to hang out with her. As much as Catherine wanted to spend as much time as possible with family, she couldn't help but feel pulled toward Jeremy. So, she apologized to her family and left around nine o'clock to hang out with Jeremy. They went out for ice cream before going back to his house. Catherine knew things were probably going faster than they should, but she found herself unable to say no to Jeremy.

Before the sun peaked through the curtains in Jeremy's bedroom on Monday morning, Catherine woke up and yawned before rolling over and seeing that Jeremy was already awake and staring at her.

"So, I'll see you later?" Catherine asked as she snuggled closer to Jeremy as they lay in bed.

Jeremy sighed and pulled her closer to him. "I'd rather you stay here with me, but I guess you can go if you must."

"I have to get back to Sam and Jenny's place in time to catch a ride back to Yale with Jenny. Plus, I think she'll notice when I'm not home for breakfast." She said and reluctantly rolled over and got out of bed. Catherine quickly retrieved her clothes and began to put them on as Jeremy starred at her. "Stop starring." She said and blushed.

"How can you blush after what we just did last night and again this morning?" He joked. "Come on Cate. Stay with me. Blow off school for the day. I'll drive you back tonight."

"Sorry Jer. I have to go. How about you come visit me this weekend?"

"I guess I can settle for that." He joked.

"You don't have a choice." She quipped back before giving him a quick kiss goodbye. "Catch you later Jer." She winked before quietly leaving his room and the Forrester house.

After Catherine shut the door to Jeremy's bedroom, he rolled onto his back and smiled as he starred at the ceiling. "That was easy" He whispered while thinking back over the previous night's events. He thought Catherine was cute and felt a connection to her, but definitely wasn't looking for anything serious. He was mainly just looking for someone to have fun with and to hook up with every once in a while.

Thinking back on last night, Jeremy really didn't like the idea that he'd brought Catherine back to his Dad's house, but she refused to go to wherever she was staying and neither could afford a night in a hotel. Hopefully she hadn't run into anyone else on her way out. Jeremy's Dad, Dean, often woke up early and read the paper in the living room. His step-Mom, Jean, was rarely awake before nine am, so Jeremy assumed that Catherine made it out ok. Jeremy rolled his eyes as he thought about his step-mother, Jean. First of all, Jean and Dean sounded like they should be on a 1950s TV show. Second of all, her two spoiled daughters drove Jeremy crazy. If everything worked as planned, Jeremy would be out of the house by the end of the summer and he'd be rid of his Dad's attempt at having a perfect family. If he was really lucky, he'd be able to convince Catherine to move with him and split living expenses. Jeremy made good money working for his Dad, but having Catherine pay half the rent would save him a lot of money. He chuckled to himself as he thought about how quickly Catherine fell for him and how easy it had all been so far.

**AN: Ok, please don't throw rocks at me for this chapter. We're getting closer to Rory meeting all of her siblings. All the drama created in this chapter will play out, but I'm not sure how long it will take. Please share your thoughts on the Catherine/Jeremy relationship. Thanks so much for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews and feedback! Here's an extra long chapter as a reward.**

As summer drew near, Rory and Joel made arrangements for the Danes Family to visit them in Seattle. Joel's parents gladly let them used their vacation home in the San Juan Islands a few hours north of the city. Catherine wanted to invite Jeremy to join, but Rory convinced her that it should be just family this time. Truthfully, Rory just didn't want to deal with any of the drama of Catherine and Jeremy's relationship, especially since she would be meeting five of her siblings for the first time. Catherine and Jeremy had become very serious very quickly, which really worried Rory. She knew that Catherine was an adult, but still wanted to shield her baby girl from getting hurt.

The last weekend in June found Rory, Joel, and Ben waiting anxiously for the Danes arrival. Catherine had stayed in Connecticut for the summer so she could be closer to Jeremy and was traveling with the Danes. The trio sat out on the front porch of Joel's parents' vacation home enjoying the sunshine and watching the road for any sign of them.

"What is taking so long?" Rory said and frowned as she leaned forward in her chair to glance down the road.

"Just be patient." Ben joked, to which Rory responded with a serious stare.

"There they are" Joel said as a large van appeared on the road and turned down their driveway. Ben, Rory, and Joel all stood up and watched until the van stopped and they slowly walked toward it as everyone got out.

Luke smiled and greeted them before going to help unload his family's luggage.

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed as she practically ran to her daughter and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Can't breathe" Rory huffed.

"Sorry" Lorelai said and pulled away. "Ben!" She exclaimed as she noticed him and quickly hugged him.

"You're certainly excited to see everyone" Joel noted as Lorelai exclaimed his name and also hugged him.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you all. I have a right to be excited." Lorelai said as the rest of the family walked up behind her. Rory smiled as she looked at her siblings before Lorelai began the introductions. "Ok, everyone, this is Rory." She began and gestured toward Rory. "This is Joel, Rory's husband, and their son Ben, Catherine's brother." Everyone smiled before Lorelai stepped aside and continued. "Rory, I'd like you to meet your siblings. Patrick, you've already met." She said and put her hand on his shoulder. Patrick smiled and nodded at Rory, Joel, and Ben. "We'll just go in order from oldest to youngest. This is Will, Sam, Jonathan, Adam, and Abby." She said and gestured toward each child respectively. Rory greeted them individual and hugged them before Joel and Ben also exchanged greetings with them.

"It's so great to finally meet you all." Rory said and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Hey, what about me?" Jenny scoffed as she stood next to Lorelai and pretended to be offended.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry Jenny!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Rory, this is Sam's wife Jenny."

"Nice to meet you Rory." Jenny said and quickly hugged Rory.

"I've heard great things about you Jenny. Nice to meet you as well." Rory said.

"Ok, enough with all the sappy greetings." Catherine joked before greeting her Mom, Dad, and Brother. "We're hungry after that long flight. Can we start lunch?"

"It's almost ready." Rory answered. "Let's get your luggage inside and I'll finish preparing everything."

"This is a huge place." Luke noted as he looked at the house and picked up a couple suitcases.

"Yeah, there is actually a main house, guest house, and apartment above the garage." Joel said while gesturing to each building. "I wasn't really sure where you all wanted to be, so we just kind of thought we'd put Luke and Lorelai in the main house with us, the 'kids' in the guest house, and Sam and Jenny can stay in the apartment. We don't really have a preference, so you can all switch if you'd like."

"That sounds fine." Luke insisted.

"Ok, well I'll show Mom and Luke to their room and start lunch." Rory explained. "Joel can show everyone to the guest house and Ben can show Sam and Jenny to the apartment. Take your time settling in and meet in the main house kitchen when you're ready for lunch."

Everyone nodded and went off in different directions. A few minutes later, Catherine wandered into the kitchen where Rory and Joel were finishing the lunch preparations.

"Hey Mom and Dad." She said quietly. "I sort of need to talk to you before everyone else gets in here."

"What's up" Joel asked and stopped what he was doing to give her his full attention.

"Well, I have some news." Catherine said and hesitated for a moment before holding her left hand up so her parents could see the ring on her finger. "Jeremy proposed last night and I said yes!" She exclaimed and smiled brightly. Joel and Rory both stood with their mouths agape before Rory smiled and hugged her daughter.

"Congratulations Catherine." She said in an effort to be supportive. Inside, her mind was screaming that this was the wrong thing, but Rory didn't want to spoil the moment for Catherine. Joel seemed to be at a loss for words, but also congratulated their daughter and hugged her.

"Thanks guys." Catherine said as she bit her lower lip nervously. "I know you both probably think it's too soon, but Jeremy and I really love each other. We figure why wait when we both know how right this is." She explained. "I've thought about this all night and I think we should have a really short engagement. I want to get married before school starts. We can find an apartment close to campus, so I won't be commuting very far."

"That's really soon." Joel noted. "Are you sure you want to rush it? You can have a long engagement if you want, it's ok. You can wait until next summer or even until Christmas break." He suggested.

Catherine shook her head and smiled. "No. I appreciate your concern Daddy, but I really want to marry Jeremy this summer. I hope you're both ok with it."

"It's a bit shocking and unexpected, but we're happy for you sweetie." Rory said before hugging Catherine again. Catherine smiled and thanked them again before bouncing out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room.

Rory and Joel both took a deep breath and looked at each other. "So, I guess we're happy for her?" Joel asked.

"I guess." Rory shrugged. "It's totally way too soon for them to get engaged and married, but I really don't see how we can prevent it from happening. She's an adult and if we push against this, she'll just marry him anyway and run away from us."

"Yeah" Joel agreed and hugged Rory. "This so wasn't how I thought things would be when I thought about Catherine getting married."

"You've thought about her getting married?" Rory asked and pulled away from him.

"Since she was born." Joel admitted and blushed slightly.

"Really?" Rory asked again while smiling at him.

Joel shrugged and nodded in acknowledgment. "I just thought about what it would be like to see her fall in love with some really great guy that we all liked. The guy would be really respectful and ask us for permission to marry her and then we'd be really excited when she told us they were engaged. I'd walk her down the aisle and would probably cry during the wedding."

"That sounds like a really sappy country music song." Rory joked before kissing him sweetly. "That's really sweet that you thought of all that babe. I've thought about it too and that's very similar to what I imagined. I also thought about how happy she'd be and how we'd have grandchildren a couple years after she got married."

"Yeah, that would be nice." Joel smiled.

"Of course, this is a bit of a kink in our version of the story. I thought she'd wait until after college to get married, not before her sophomore year." Rory said. "I really hope this all works out and that Jeremy is as amazing as Catherine says."

"If not he's going to have a pack of angry men after him." Joel smiled before realizing something and looking at Rory seriously. "Wait, you said grandchildren. You don't think that's the reason for the speedy wedding, do you?"

"Oh I really hope not." Rory said as her face fell. "I'll ask her about it later. Everyone's going to be here for lunch really soon and I'd rather not be fighting with Catherine in front of everyone."

"Ok" He nodded and went back to the counter to finish cooking.

XXXX

"Catherine, we need to talk." Rory said as she walked into Catherine's room and sat on her bed. Catherine was sitting up in bed reading a magazine and quickly put it on the bedside table. "Is there a reason you're having the wedding so soon?"

"I love Jeremy and I don't want to wait."

"Ok, but something more than that? Something more time sensitive?" Rory asked and Catherine stared blankly at her before Rory sighed. "You aren't pregnant are you?"

"What?" Catherine scoffed. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Catherine insisted.

"But you are having sex with Jeremy?"

"Mom, that's not really any of your business." Catherine said and looked down. "Fine. Yes, we've been sleeping together, but we're always really careful. I'm not pregnant."

"Really?" Rory doubted.

"Gah!" Catherine exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air. "Do I need to prove it to you?" She said and stood up off of the bed. Rory didn't respond right away so Catherine huffed out of the room and soon left the house and drove down the driveway. Half an hour later, Catherine had returned home with several pregnancy tests and called her Mom into the bathroom after she had taken them. "See!" Catherine yelled. "They're all negative!"

"Hey, what's all the yelling about?" Lorelai asked as she walked down the hall in her pajamas.

"Mom thinks the only reason I'm marrying Jeremy is because I'm pregnant, which isn't true and I'm not." Catherine said sternly.

"I never said that Catherine." Rory fired back. "You're the one who's so touchy about the subject. Your Dad and I already gave you our support, so you don't have to prove anything to us."

"It doesn't feel like you support me." Catherine said and crossed her arms over her chest before looking down at the floor.

"We do honey." Rory said and hugged her. "It's just hard for us to get used to the idea of you getting married, let alone to someone we've never met. I'm sure we'll be just as happy as you are once we meet Jeremy. Your Dad and I really do love you and support you."

"Ok, thanks Mom. Sorry about all this." Catherine apologized and went into the bathroom to throw away all the tests before going to her room and closing the door. Rory sighed and looked at Lorelai while shaking her head. "Coffee?" Lorelai asked.

"Sure, let's go down to the kitchen."

Once they each had a cup of coffee and were settled into the living room, Lorelai broke the silence. "You're not too happy about this engagement, are you?"

"Honestly? Not really." Rory admitted. "It's just not how I pictured this situation to go. Joel and I haven't even met Jeremy. Is he a good guy? Do you know him at all?"

"I don't, but Sam and Will know him fairly well since they're close to his age. Neither really like Jeremy. Will went to school with him and said he's quite the playboy. Sam keeps threatening to go have a talk with Jeremy, but I insisted that he not. I think we need to let Catherine make her own choices."

"Even if they're the wrong choices?"

"I don't know." Lorelai admitted. "I sometimes think I should have done things differently when you and I had our historic fight. I didn't agree with your choices then, but they weren't necessarily the same bad choices that Catherine may be making. In my case, I went about telling you my opinion the wrong way. It just drove you further away."

"That's exactly what Joel and I are trying to avoid." Rory agreed. "We don't want Catherine to get married so hastily, but we also don't want to turn her against us. She doesn't seem to care what we think when it comes to Jeremy, so I'm just standing on the sideline biting my nails trying to figure out when to jump in."

"I don't think she's going to listen to what you or Joel say, to be honest. From what I've observed, it's like she's completely spell bound by Jeremy. I don't get what she sees in him, but she won't let anyone tell her she's wrong." Lorelai explained. "I did talk to Jenny about it and she said she'd try to talk to Catherine. They're very close friends now and Jenny knows what it's like to get married young. I think in her and Sam's case it's been great and worked out really well. I'm sure it hasn't always been easy, but they make it work. However, I think their relationship is much different than Jeremy and Catherine's. I just don't have a good feeling about Jeremy for some reason. Hopefully Jenny can talk Catherine out of this or at least get her to have a longer engagement."

"I sure hope so." Rory said and took another sip of her coffee. "I just don't want to see Catherine make a mistake that she'll regret for the rest of her life." Rory sighed and snuggled closer to Lorelai as they sat on the couch. Lorelai wrapped her arm around Rory and began to softly stroke her hair.

XXXXX

The next morning, Rory was suddenly awoken by a crash in the kitchen and shot up from her spot on the couch.

"Sorry" Will said and cringed. "I was trying not to wake you, but I guess that failed."

"You scarred me." Rory said while covering her heart with her hand as she looked around. "Why am I sleeping on the couch?" She asked rhetorically and Will shrugged. "What time is it?"

"Six am"

"Early" Rory whined.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wake up early. I just came in here to start breakfast and I was trying not to wake you. Coffee' s almost ready though." Will said.

"I guess that makes up for the hour." Rory shrugged and stood up off of the couch. She yawned and walked over to the kitchen as Will poured her a cup of coffee. Rory gratefully accepted and smiled when she tasted the familiar brew. "This tastes exactly like I remember Luke's coffee."

"Good." Will nodded. "I should be able to figure out how to make it after working summers at the Diner." He joked.

"What's the secret ingredient?" Rory asked quietly while leaning over the counter.

"Sorry, if I told you I'd have to kill you." Will joked and smiled and Rory pretended to be upset.

"You want some oatmeal for breakfast? That's what I was planning to make."

"Sounds good to me. You woke me up, so you better feed me now." Rory joked.

"You're the oldest, you're supposed to feed me." Will joked.

"ah, but at this age, I can play the 'I might break a hip if I move to quickly' card and get out of cooking." Rory quipped back.

"Fine. I'll do all the work and let my older sister boss me around." Will smiled and stirred the oatmeal before putting a lid on the pot and poured himself a cup of coffee. He leaned against the counter next to the stove and looked at the ceiling as he gathered his thoughts. Rory watched him while continuing to sip her coffee and waited for him to say what was on his mind. "Rory, I just wanted to say that I'm really glad I got to meet you this weekend. Mom's been so happy that we're all connected now." He said while still frowning slightly. Will took a deep breath and scratched his head. "I'm sorry, that sounded odd. I'm not really good at sharing my feelings."

"It's ok, Will. I get what you're trying to say." Rory smiled and walked over to hug Will. He seemed a little startled, but returned the hug and smiled as she pulled away.

"Oh geez" Jonathan sighed as he entered the kitchen. "Don't tell me you've gone soft now too." He joked at his brother. "Good Morning Rory" He said and gave her a quick hug before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"You just hugged me because I was standing in front of the coffee pot, didn't you?" Rory asked and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Maybe" Jonathan said slyly and refilled Rory's cup while smiling.

"Why do I get the feeling that you two are trouble?" Rory asked as Luke entered the kitchen.

"Because they are." He huffed and went over to see what Will was cooking. "Rory, Joel was looking for you." He informed her.

"Yeah, Mom let me fall asleep on the couch last night. I guess I should go say 'hi' to Joel and change my clothes. See you all in a little bit. Thanks for the early morning coffee banter." She smiled and left the kitchen with her coffee cup still in hand. Rory found her way to Joel as he got ready in the bathroom of the master suite. He smiled and kissed her before she offered him some of the coffee, which he gladly accepted. "I love my family." She said and hugged him tightly.

"Good. I'm glad you're so happy about all this." Joel nodded and held her tightly against his chest.

XXXXX

Jenny and Catherine slowly paddled through the cool water as they guided their kayak. They both needed a break from the family for a little bit and Jenny thought this would also be the perfect opportunity to talk to Catherine about Jeremy.

"So, Catie, how do you feel about Jeremy?" Jenny asked while resting her paddle on top of the kayak and turning around slightly to look at Catherine.

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked and continued to slowly paddle.

"Well, now you've told your parents. Are you still really excited about the engagement after seeing their reactions?"

"I still want to marry him." Catherine said quickly. "Nothing is going to change that."

"Ok, I'm not trying to imply that." Jenny quickly corrected. "I guess I'm just trying to see what you see in him. I know that sounds really horrible of me, but what exactly makes you want to marry him? Jeremy is nice and all and I'm sure he's a great guy, but what is it that makes you feel all tingly inside when you're around him?"

Catherine paused and smiled as she thought about her fiancé. "So many things Jenny. I know he seems simple and maybe a little too different than me, but that's why we work so well together. He's not stupid or some beer guzzling lumberjack. He's really smart and a really hard worker. Plus, he's really cute." Catherine smiled.

"You seem pretty infatuated with him." Jenny noted. "I think everyone's just concerned that you're going too fast with Jeremy and you may regret it later."

"I'm not going to regret being with Jeremy." Catherine insisted. "I know we're meant to be together, so why should we wait?"

"Ok, well why not just live together or continue to date until you're out of college?"

"Because I want to be married to Jeremy. I don't understand why you're siding with everyone else. You got married young, so you should understand." Catherine said.

"It was a bit different for Sam and I. We dated for over three years before we got married. We both knew that we were meant to be together, but we took things slow and didn't rush into our marriage. Lots of people still think we're too young to be married, but we're proving them wrong. It certainly isn't always easy, especially considering that Sam and I have very different things going on in our lives; he's working and I'm in school. We work really hard at our marriage and spend a lot of time discussing things. We're coming up on our two year anniversary and it's still a lot of work at times. I just want you to understand that even though we're both totally in love, it's not some magical fairytale."

"But you two seem so happy and like you're really enjoying life." Catherine noted.

"We are, but it takes lots of behind the scenes work. Just because two people are attracted to one another and get along great doesn't mean it's meant to be forever. You really have to make a commitment to each other and be very open with your communication." Jenny told her. "I'm sure you love Jeremy, but don't think that means you need to be so serious so fast."

"But it really feels right, both physically and mentally."

"Physically?" Jenny grinned. "So, the physical stuff is good?"

Catherine blushed and smiled as she looked down at the calm water. "Yeah, I mean, it's pretty good. I'm sure you remember the beginning of a relationship and how good…things….can be."

"Well, to be honest, that's still all relatively new to Sam and I." Jenny admitted while Catherine frowned at her. "Sam and I waited until we were married to have sex."

"Wow. I don't know what to say. I didn't expect that."

"Yeah, well, I was about fifteen when Sam and I started dating and he was seventeen, so my parents were pretty freaked out about me dating him. Sam and I agreed to take things slow and spent a lot of time getting to know each other and became best friends over the course of time. By the time I thought I was ready to have sex, I was seventeen and in my senior year of high school. Sam proposed to me during Christmas break and we agreed that we would wait until we were married. We figured that we'd already waited so long that a few more months wouldn't be so difficult and would make our wedding night that much more special. I have to give Sam a lot of credit with that decision. It wasn't easy for him to wait and be so patient when all his friends were out gallivanting with girls. I think it says a lot about who Sam is and how much he really does love me." Jenny explained and smiled at Catherine.

"That's nice." Catherine said genuinely. "I think it's a bit late for Jeremy and I to wait though."

"I know, but that doesn't mean you need to rush the wedding. Unless there is a reason for the rush?" Jenny realized.

"No, no rush and no I'm not pregnant." Catherine said and rolled her eyes. "I really wish everyone would stop asking me that."

"Catie, you have to realize that people will jump to that conclusion. Most people who get married so quickly usually do so because of a pregnancy. So, it's understandable that people would start to assume that." Jenny said.

"That's not true in our case. We both really love each other and genuinely want to be together. Jeremy really cares about me and thinks we might as well start our lives together right away. I agree and know that he's the one, so why wait." Catherine shrugged.

"You're an adult and you can do whatever you want, but everyone's just concerned that you're being too impulsive and that you'll get hurt. Your parents haven't met Jeremy, so I think they're also concerned that he's pressuring you or trying to talk you into something you don't really want."

"I appreciate the concern, but Jeremy isn't some sinister person who's controlling me. I want to marry him." Catherine insisted.

"Ok, just as long as you're sure and you really want to do this."

"I'm sure Jenny." Catherine said and began to paddle their kayak back toward the house.

XXXXX

Rory and Abby sipped coffee as they sat on the back porch of the main house. Everyone else had either gone for a walk or taken boats or kayaks out on the water for the afternoon.

"You know, when I was growing up I always wanted a big sister." Abby said. "I mean, I always knew I had an older sister, but I wanted a sister I could talk to every day."

"I'm sorry I wasn't around Abby." Rory began before Abby cut her off.

"Please don't apologize for that Rory. I know you and Mom had issues and everything got way out of hand and went on way too long. You probably feel horrible already, so please don't think I blame you for anything or am upset with you in any way." She explained. "I just wanted someone to balance out those crazy older brothers of mine. Someone to call and complain about Mom and Dad. That kind of stuff."

"Well, I'm still sorry you didn't have that." Rory said. "It's not like you always wanted an older sister and never had one. You had one who wasn't talking to your Mom and didn't know you existed. If I had known you and your brothers existed I would have be in your lives. I know it's impossible to make up for that, but I really hope we can have a good relationship going forward."

"I'd like that." Abby said and put her arm around Rory's shoulders. "Plus, you can tell me lots of embarrassing stories about Mom and Dad." She smiled.

"Hey Abby, can I talk to you about something?" Rory asked cautiously while looking down at her feet.

"Yeah, go ahead." Abby shrugged.

"Well, Mom told me all about you and your brothers. I wanted to know everything about you all. One thing she told me about you kind of concerned me." Rory said gently. "She told me that you've been partying a lot recently and staying about late."

"So?" Abby scoffed. "I'm just having fun. Lots of high school kids party senior year. It's no big deal."

"I'm not saying it is. Maybe it's just because I'm a Mom and I worry about everything, but I'm just a little concerned that it's getting out of control. Now, I know I have no right to tell you what to do or make any judgments about you or your life. I just wanted to express my concern and ask you about it." Rory said.

"What's wrong with having a little fun?"

"Nothing at all. I'm just worried that it's a little too much and may start to negatively affect you and your future."

"Not gonna lie; you sound way too much like Mom." Abby said sharply. "I'm not hurting anyone, so just lay off."

"You're hurting yourself Abby." Rory cautioned her. "Don't go down a road you'll regret later."

"Like you're one to talk Rory. How were the last twenty-five years for you? You went down a road you regretted."

"Which is why I'm cautioning you against it." Rory said and took a deep breath. "I made mistakes and I don't want you to regret the choices you make, like I do. Please, just think about what you're doing. It might feel good in the moment, but could have real consequences later."

"ugh, please not the safe sex talk again."

"Well, you can never hear that too many times, but that's not really what I mean. Drinking, taking drugs, smoking, it will all catch up with you eventually and you'll realize what a mess your life is."

"Rory, it's not that out of control. I'm not into any hard core drugs or anything. It's all recreational and just for fun." Abby insisted.

"That's a slippery slope." Rory nodded. "Where's the line between recreational and addiction? Are you going to be able to stop or even know when to stop?"

"Fortunately, you don't have to worry about that. It's my life, so if I screw it up, it's my fault." Abby insisted.

"You're right. I just don't want to sit by and let you destroy yourself. I care about you a lot and don't want anything to happen to you." Rory explained. "Look, you're free to do what you want or whatever your parents say. I'm not your boss and I'm really not trying to be. I just wanted to express my concern and let you know that I'm going to be here for you, for whatever you need. You can count on me from now on."

"Ok" Abby nodded.

"You know, you could always come out to Seattle for college and we could do the whole best friends/sisters thing. With Catherine at Yale I miss having a shopping buddy and someone to gossip with." Rory suggested. "Wait. Have you decided where you're going to school yet? Didn't the deadline pass already?"

"Yeah, the deadline was in May. I still don't really know where I want to go, but I had to pick a school. Mom and Dad wouldn't let me take a year off like I really wanted to do." Abby sighed. "I chose to go to NYU, but I'm not really sure that's what I want. Adam's following his girlfriend to Duke, so I thought about going with him, but I don't know. I think it's too late to change my mind, so maybe I'll think about transferring after a semester or at the end of the year."

"If you want, I could look into some of the schools in the Seattle area. They might have a late admission or something if you're interested." Rory offered.

"What about the school you teach at?"

"University of Washington?"

"Yeah, isn't that a great school?" Abby asked.

"It is. I know a few people in admissions and could pull a few strings if you're serious about going there."

"I did some research when Mom said you worked there. If it's not too late, I think I'd like to go there. It might be nice to start out fresh in a new city. Could be a grand adventure." Abby smiled.

XXXXX

As the long weekend went by, the family spent as much time together as possible. Rory made it a point to have a long conversation with each of her siblings in an effort to get to know them more. She knew it wouldn't make up for her absence in their lives, but hoped they could be close in the future. It seemed like her best efforts were working and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Before the family left, Rory promised that she and her family would make a trip to Stars Hollow in the near future.

**AN: Thanks for reading and please review. I've come to a point where I can either wrap up this story or add a few more twists and turns. I've got some of these twists written, but I'm not sure if they suite the story or not. I'd appreciate any feedback you have on this and would be happy to share these twists if you ask for them in a review or message. Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: It's your lucky day! Two updates in one week! Thanks for all the review on the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy where this story is going.**

Against Rory and Joel's wishes, Catherine and Jeremy decided to get married in August before Catherine went back to school. They opted for a small wedding in Stars Hollow and a short honeymoon at a beach house on Cape Cod.

As the wedding drew near, Rory started to prepare herself for her visit to Stars Hollow. It had been over twenty-five years since she'd been back and it felt like she was going to be on display the entire time. Everyone would be watching her and wanting to talk to her. She was fine with catching up and seeing everyone again, but she wasn't looking forward to how overwhelming it was going to be. If she was completely honest, she also wasn't really looking forward to the wedding. It made Rory feel really guilty that she wasn't excited about her only daughter's wedding, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Jeremy just wasn't right for Catherine. Rory hadn't met him, so she really couldn't be the judge, but it seemed to her that Catherine was rushing into a marriage that may not have a solid foundation. When Catherine first informed Rory and Joel that she and Jeremy were getting married, Rory assumed Catherine was pregnant, which caused a blow out fight between Rory and Catherine. After taking several pregnancy tests and showing them to Rory, the argument was settled and Rory began helping Catherine plan the wedding.

After all the arguing and planning, Rory still couldn't shake the feeling that Catherine was making a mistake. Other family members had also expressed concern over the speed of the relationship, but Catherine was too stubborn to listen and insisted that they were wrong.

Early August came quickly and found Rory, Joel, and Ben arriving in Stars Hollow a week before Catherine's wedding. Rory took a deep breath as Joel drove through town and stopped in front of The Danes House.

"Looks like a nice place." Joel noted as he turned off the engine and got out of the car. Rory and Ben joined him and began unloading their suitcases as Luke came out and greeted them. He shook hands with Joel and Ben before giving Rory a quick hug.

"You ready for all this?" Luke said and grinned at Rory.

"Stars Hollow or the wedding?" Rory asked and Luke shrugged in response. "I'm ok with Stars Hollow, but the wedding…"

"Yeah" Luke nodded again and took two of their suitcases before leading them up the walkway to the front door.

"Rory!" Lorelai yelled as she burst through the front door and practically knocked Rory over.

"Hi Mom." Rory said as she relaxed in her Mother's embrace.

"Joel! Ben!" Lorelai exclaimed as she released Rory and hugged each man. She frowned as she noticed Ben was looking a little pale and put her hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling ok Ben? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night and am tired from the long flight." He explained and smiled softly. "You worry too much."

"Well, that's my job." Lorelai shrugged. "Come on inside. I've got a fresh pot of coffee waiting for you all." She explained and ushered them inside.

Once they were all sitting around the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, Lorelai decided to break the silence that enveloped them. "So, Joel and Rory, you're going to meet Jeremy tomorrow morning?"

"I guess that's the plan." Joel nodded.

"We haven't been talking to Catherine much lately." Rory said. "I think she's a little upset with me over how I handled the Jeremy situation."

"He's not a situation Rory." Luke spoke up. "They're getting married and he's going to be your son-in-law. You can't treat him like some situation that will be resolved or go away."

"Can't I?" Rory grimaced.

"Nope, sorry. Unless you're ok with loosing Catherine in the process." Luke noted.

"Not ok with loosing Catherine." Rory confirmed. "I guess I really should have an open mind tomorrow morning."

"Now you're getting it." Lorelai joked.

XXXXX

The next morning Joel and Rory met Catherine and Jeremy for breakfast at Lorelai and Luke's house. Jeremy came off as very charming and respectful. Rory and Joel warmed up to him once they had talked with him, but still one hundred percent on board with the wedding. However, they kept their feelings to themselves and did as much as they could to get things ready for the wedding.

Later that day, Rory decided to finally venture out on her own and say 'hi' to people. It took her almost two hours to walk across the town square and into Weston's Bakery.

"Dean" Rory said as she practically ran into him as he exited Weston's.

"Rory" He said and smiled at her.

"Hey, uh, can we talk for a sec?" Rory asked and gestured inside Weston's.

"Yeah, I was taking my coffee to go, but I can sit and talk for a while." He said and held the door as she walked inside and then followed her to a table. He sat while she ordered a coffee and Danish before joining Dean at the table.

"It's good to see you." Dean said while smiling at her.

"Really? We didn't exactly part on the best terms."

Dean nodded in agreement before explaining. "Yeah, uh, that was a mistake. I mean, I thought I loved you, but that wasn't exactly our proudest moment."

"Agreed."

"I kind of feel like I need to explain myself to you for some reason." Dean hesitated before Rory shook her head in disagreement.

"Please don't Dean. Let's just agree that we made a mistake and leave it. Too much time has passed for anything other than hurt to come from discussing it."

"Ok." Dean agreed.

"So, what's your life like now? What are you up to?" Rory said to change the subject.

"Well, it's pretty good now, but it hasn't always been. Back after we were together Lindsey and I were separated, during which time she found out she was pregnant. So, we got back together to try and make things work. Things actually went pretty well at first. We moved to Litchfield and our son Aaron was born. Four years later Jeremy came along very unexpectedly. Lindsey and I had already called it quits and were in the process of divorcing. A couple months after Jeremy was born the divorce was finalized and I moved back to Stars Hollow. Lindsey and I shared custody of the boys until they were in High School and they moved in with me. Lindsey remarried about that time and the boys didn't really like the guy, for whatever reason. I was already remarried at the time to my wife Jean. The boys seem to get along ok with her, but don't really seem to like her daughters. The girls are a little spoiled, but they're still little girls, they'll grow out of it." He shrugged. "I own my own construction company that does jobs throughout the state. Aaron works for me as a project manager and Jeremy will be doing the same. I'm trying to train Jeremy on all aspect of the business, so he's kind of jumping from job to job at this point."

"Sounds like you've made a pretty good life for yourself." Rory concluded.

"There have been some bumps along the way, but it's turned out well." Dean said. "Miss Patty and Babette have been gossiping about you for several months, so I feel caught up on what's happening in your life." Dean smiled. "You have what sounds like a really nice family Rory. I'm glad things turned out fairly well for both of us. I don't know about you, but the last time we were together really threw me off for a while. It's ok now though. I've moved on and I'm genuinely happy to see you again."

"Thanks Dean." Rory nodded. "I think after our relationship was over I was more ashamed than anything else. However, I've moved on and put all that behind me a long time ago. So, if you don't mind, let's just focus on the present and not the past."

"Ok. I can do that." Dean said. "What about those crazy kids of ours?"

Rory smiled and shook her head. "I don't know Dean. They seem to be in love, but they're moving a little too fast, don't you think?"

"It's fast, but Catherine is great and just what Jeremy needs right now."

"What Jeremy needs? What do you mean?"

"Just that he's a little wild and Catherine seems to be a stabilizing force." Dean shrugged.

Rory frowned and was slightly offended by Dean's statement. "I don't think Catherine should just be with someone because she's a stabilizing force. My brother, Will, already told me about Jeremy's playboy ways and I'm concerned to be honest. No Mother wants her child involved with someone who may hurt them and I'm no exception. If Jeremy hurts Catherine he can forget about the army of angry men that will hurt him because I'll be the first one to hunt him down and hurt him." Rory said sternly.

"Ok, take it easy. I don't think Jeremy would hurt Catherine. He seems to really love her, so don't worry." Dean assured her.

"Good, because no one hurts my little girl and gets away with it." Rory smiled.

XXXXX

Abby stumbled into the kitchen late Friday night. She'd been out at a party all night and was a little tipsy. All attempts at quietly entering the house and getting a glass of water from the kitchen failed. The fact that Abby was also wandering around in the dark didn't help.

"Abby?" Joel said as he entered the dark kitchen, causing her to jump and then giggle. Joel and Rory were staying in the guest bedroom just off the kitchen, so they were easily woken by the noise.

"I'm thirsty" She slurred.

"ah, ok." Joel said. "Why don't I get you a glass of water while you go sit at the table?"

"kay" Abby said sweetly and sauntered around the kitchen. Instead of walking straight out of the kitchen she walked toward Joel and bumped into him playfully. "oopsy" She giggled before losing her balance. Joel instinctively reached out and caught her before she fell. Even though it was dark, Abby looked up at Joel and stared at him for a moment before saying, "you're hot". Before Joel could react Abby put her hand on the back of Joel's neck and kissed him.

Suddenly, the lights turned on and Rory stood in her bathrobe at the entrance to the kitchen. Her mouth dropped when she saw the scene before her; Joel had his arms around her little sister as she was dipped backwards with her hands around the back of his neck and they were kissing. Rory shook her head as Joel's head snapped around and he looked at Rory and then back at Abby.

"oh...no...this isn't. Rory, no." He sputtered out and pulled Abby to her feet. He quickly pushed her away and she stumbled before grabbing onto the counter and giggled.

"Rory, no." He said again and shook his head in shock and terror. His eyes were wide with fear as Rory backed up slightly and took a deep breath. Rory held up her hands and Joel stopped a few feet from her.

"Joel, don't." She said. "I don't want to do or say something I'll regret. You're obviously not yourself, so I think you should go to bed."

"Rory, I-"

"Joel." She interrupted. "I think you should go. Just, go stay over at The Dragonfly or Sam and Jenny's place for the night. We'll discuss this in the morning when everyone is thinking clearly."

"Rory" Joel pleaded.

"Joel, please." She said quietly. "I'd prefer not to see either of you right now, but if I leave Abby alone she'll probably hurt herself. I'm not in the mood to go to the hospital tonight, so I'll put her to bed."

"Ok" He said. He went to kiss her on the cheek as he walk by, but Rory flinched and turned her head. Joel's shoulders slumped as he walked out of the kitchen and left the house. Rory turned to look at Abby who was attempting to get herself a glass of water.

"Let's get you to bed Abby." Rory said before getting Abby some water and pushing her to her bedroom. She quickly helped her into bed and shut the lights off. Rory stood in the kitchen for a moment before shaking her head and turning the lights off. She went back into the guest bedroom and stared at the ceiling as she lay in bed. She didn't want to believe what she'd just witnessed; her husband kissing her little sister. Joel had never done anything like that before. He rarely even looked at other women let alone kissed another. She wanted to believe that Abby's drunken state was to blame, but her mind was telling her different. She continued to stare at the ceiling for the next several hours as her mind raced and she fought for sleep.

XXXXX

Abby groaned as she opened her eyes the next morning. She rolled over and jumped when she saw Rory sitting in a chair staring at her while drinking a cup of coffee.

"Creepy." Abby said in a scratchy voice.

"There's a cup of coffee for you on the nightstand." Rory stated. Abby turned and grabbed the cup and took a sip. She continued to sip her coffee until the events of last night came to her mind and she groaned again.

"Have a headache?" Rory asked sarcastically.

"Yeah" Abby nodded. Suddenly she remembered what happened with Joel in the kitchen and she grimaced. "Oh God, did I do something really stupid last night?" She asked Rory.

"Like kiss my husband?" Rory said before drinking another sip of coffee.

"ugh, please tell me I didn't do that." She winced.

"If you didn't than you probably need to explain why he spent the night at elsewhere."

Abby groaned and covered her face with her hand. She looked back up and shook her head. "Rory, I'm so sorry. I was drunk. There is absolutely nothing going on between us. You've got to believe me."

"I really hope that's the truth." Rory said.

"It is. Honestly."

"Ok, did he kiss you or did you kiss him?" Rory asked.

Abby thought for a moment before answering. "It was me. I kissed him. I slipped and he caught me. I looked up at him and just kissed him."

"Ok, then Joel's story should be the same when I talk to him." Rory said and stood up quickly. She left quickly and went into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. She turned around and was startled by Joel standing in the doorway.

"Rory" Joel said quietly and bit his lower lip nervously.

"Joel" Rory sighed. "Coffee?"

"Yeah, coffee would be good."

Rory offered him the cup in her hand and he gratefully accepted it. She poured another cup for herself and walked to the kitchen table where Joel joined her.

"You stay at Sam and Jenny's last night?"

Joel nodded in response and looked down at his coffee. "Rory, can I explain?"

"I think you definitely should." Rory said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"That kiss really wasn't what it looked like. Abby lost her balance and I reached out to catch her. Then she just looked at me and kissed me. You walked in right as it happened. You saw how shocked I was." Joel explained.

"Shocked by the kiss or that I caught you?" Rory questioned.

"The kiss." Joel answered quickly.

"I just keep wondering what would have happened if I hadn't walked in at that moment. Would you have stopped it immediately or would it have continued into something more? Would you have told me about it?"

"I would have stopped it right then and there and I would have told you about it right away. Rory, I would never, ever cheat on you. Ever." Joel insisted.

"My heart tells me that's true, but my head disagrees. I love you Joel and I know you love me, but this is hard. I think I just need some time to sort it all out." Rory said vaguely as she began to walk upstairs.

"Rory, please." Joel practically begged as she continued to walk upstairs. He sighed and walked into the living room and sank onto the couch before hanging his head in his hands.

"Hey, how's it going?" Lorelai asked as soon as Rory reached the top of the stairs.

"Ugh" Rory answered.

"That doesn't sound good." Lorelai said.

"No, not exactly. Joel and I are fighting."

"Oh no. What happened?" Lorelai asked with concern in her voice as she touched Rory's shoulder.

"I caught Abby and Joel kissing in the kitchen last night around midnight."

"What?" Lorelai asked in shock. "Did I hear that right? Joel and Abby?"

"It's true. I don't even know what to think." Rory explained. "Abby came home drunk last night and Joel and I woke up when we heard her fumbling around in the kitchen. Joel got up right away and I followed a little after him. When I turned the lights on I saw them kissing."

"That can't be right. Why would Joel and Abby be kissing?"

"That's what I'd like to know. The worst part is that I have no idea if Joel is lying to me or not. He says that he caught her when she fell and she kissed him." Rory said. "I don't know if I believe it or not."

"Why would Joel kiss your little sister?"

"Because she's a beautiful eighteen year old woman." Rory guessed.

"Rory, you and Joel have a deep relationship based on love and respect. You've been through so much over the years. I don't know why Joel would do anything to destroy all that." Lorelai tried to assure her.

"See, that's what's also hard. I know Joel and I know that he loves me, but I can't help think that this wasn't an accident."

**AN: There you have it; more twists in the story. Let me know what you think and if you'd like to know what else is planned. **


	15. Chapter 15

Lorelai stormed into her youngest daughter's room and slammed the door behind her, causing Abby to jump in bed.

"Geez Mom. Take it easy." Abby groaned as Lorelai flipped on the light switch.

"Abigail Victoria Danes" Lorelai said sternly.

"Whoa, must be in trouble if you're 'full naming' me."

"You bet your ass you're in trouble young lady." Lorelai spat. "Just what the hell to you think you're doing coming home drunk and kissing Joel."

"Ugh, gah. That was a major mistake Mom. I seriously didn't mean for that to happen." Abby explained.

"Are you sure?"

"No Mom. I'm lying about that." Abby rolled her eyes. "The truth is that Joel and I are having a wild passionate affair. From the moment we met we just couldn't help ourselves." She said sarcastically.

"Abby, that's not funny." Lorelai insisted.

"Mom, I barely know Joel. Plus, he's my brother-in-law and old enough to be my Dad. He's nice, but totally not what I'm looking for in a guy. It really was just a drunken mistake." Abby insisted. "I really wish I could take it back and that Rory hadn't walked in at the worst possible moment."

"That's the thing about drunken mistakes Abby." Lorelai said and sat on her bed.

"I love you Mom, but could you please let me go back to bed. I seriously need to sleep this off." Abby groaned.

"Nope." Lorelai said and crossed her arms. "You can't just party all night and sleep all day as much as the song says you can. Get up, shower, get dressed, and go apologize to both Rory and Joel."

XXXXX

Rory sat on the old familiar bridge and dangled her legs over the edge. She swung her legs back and forth and touched the water ever so slightly with the tip of her shoe every once in a while.

"Hey" Luke said and startled Rory. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok. I wasn't expecting anyone to come find me here. How did you find me?"

"A little birdie once told me that you came here to think sometimes." Luke explained and sat down next to her. "I talked to your Mom and Joel."

"ah, so you know all about 'the incident' then." Rory sighed.

"That I do." Luke agreed. "I haven't talked to Abby, but she'll be getting an ear full when I see her later. She was completely out of line."

"oh really?" Rory huffed sarcastically.

"I kind of think you're a little out of line too."

"Excuse me?"

"Rory do you honestly think Joel would kiss Abby? I mean honestly from your heart." Luke asked.

"I don't know." Rory shrugged.

"Oh come on Rory. You've been married to him for over twenty years. You know him better than anyone else. Do you really think he would go after your little sister?" Luke asked again.

"No" Rory said quietly while looking down.

"Then why are you reacting this way?"

"I don't know. I just can't help but have my doubts."

"Rory, I love you like you were my own daughter, but I have to say that you're acting completely crazy." Luke said. "I've never known you to act like this."

"I don't know Luke. I just feel so mixed up about everything that I can't think straight." Rory explained. "I've reconnected with Mom, which is great, but I still can't shake this horrible guilt I feel for leaving all those years ago. I really regret how I acted back then and never knowing my siblings while they were growing up. I robbed my children of their Grandmother. I just can't get over any of that. I ruined more than just my own life. To top all that off, my daughter is getting married and I still can't get on board with it. I've helped her plan things and I find myself having to fake being happy for her." Rory said and sighed. "I don't really even feel like myself anymore."

Luke sighed too and put his arm around Rory's shoulders. "I can actually relate to that. It's like your mind is running a million miles a minute and you can't slow it down. You've got so much going on in your head that you can't focus on any one thing." Rory nodded in agreement. "The thing is Rory that you have to stop living in the past and do what you can to make the future better. I know you've had a lot change in your life over the last several months and that's hard." Luke explained. "You probably don't want to hear what I have to say, but I need to tell you that you're being crazy and you need to snap out of it. You've got a lot going for you; more than most people have. You've got a great husband who loves you, two really great kids, and a great big family that wants to have a relationship with you."

"You're right." Rory agreed and leaned against Luke's side. "I've been stupid. What's wrong with me?" She wondered and seemed to finally understand what Luke was saying. "Joel loves me. He'd never cheat on me. I don't even know why I thought that. Oh, I've been stupid." She said and stood up. "Thanks Luke." She said and hugged him after he stood up. "Where's Joel?"

"Apartment above the diner. He's pretty upset about everything and wanted to be alone."

"Ok, Thanks again Luke!" Rory called over her shoulder as she ran, almost sprinted, toward the diner. By the time she reached the stairs she was out of breath, but quickly climbed them. She threw the door open and slowly entered while looking around the room for her husband. He was lying on the couch with his hands over his face. "Joel" Rory breathed.

"Rory" He said and quickly stood up. "I'm so sorry-"

"Don't explain Joel." Rory interrupted him. His face fell as he assumed the worst, but Rory crossed the room and hugged him. "I know you didn't do anything wrong. I should have known better than to question you on that. Abby was drunk and the entire thing was nothing."

"Oh thank God." Joel sighed and hugged her tightly. "I love you Rory."

"I know you do Joel. I love you too." Rory said and continued to hold onto him. "I owe you an apology for even thinking that you'd kiss Abby. I know you better than to assume that."

"Hey, it's all ok." Joel assured her as she began to cry into his chest. "Hey, it's ok now. Calm down, don't cry." He said and rubbed her back. "Rory" He said while using his hand to tilt her chin up toward him.

"Sorry" She mumbled and sniffled. She took a deep breath and smiled softly as Joel wiped the tears off of her face. He smiled at her and quickly kissed her before she instantly pulled him back for more.

"Hey Joel" Lorelai said while bouncing into the apartment. She shrieked and covered her face when she saw Joel and Rory kissing before slowly backing out of the room and back down the stairs. "I guess they made up." She said under her breath before wandering back into the diner and sitting at the counter.

"Hey Grandma" Ben said casually as he sat down at the counter next her Lorelai.

"Hey Benny" She said and hugged him.

"You know where my Mom and Dad are? I haven't seen them since yesterday."

"You mean you completely missed all the drama?" Lorelai scoffed.

"I guess" Ben shrugged.

"Oye" Lorelai shrugged and shook her head. "Never mind. It's all over now."

"Oh, ok." Ben shrugged and thanked Caesar as he poured Ben a cup of coffee.

Lorelai observed him as he slowly sipped the coffee and frowned.

"What? Something wrong?" Ben asked as he put this cup down on the counter.

"You still look kind of pale. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." Ben shrugged. "I must be coming down with something."

"You should go to the doctor Ben. You're really pale." Lorelai said while continuing to look at her grandson.

Rory and Joel walked through the curtain, hand in hand, and sat next to Ben at the counter. "Mom, you don't have to freak out when Joel and I kiss." Rory said and rolled her eyes at her Mother.

"Sorry, it's just startling to see you two sucking face." Lorelai explained. "Rory, doesn't Ben look pale?"

Rory looked at him and put her hand on Ben's forehead while he sighed in protest. "Are you feeling sick Ben?"

"I'm fine." Ben insisted. "Nothing is wrong. Can I please just drink my coffee in peace?"

"Ok" Rory said and shrugged at Lorelai.

"So, you two made up?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes." Rory explained. "I was totally stupid for thinking Joel would ever do anything like that. I don't know what came over me."

"Hey, stop beating yourself up over it." Joel insisted.

"You're very forgiving Joel." Lorelai observed.

"I guess I just realize that it's more important to be with Rory that fight or hold a grudge." He explained. "I would never want anything to come between us. I was pretty freaked out for a while that she wouldn't understand my point of view and that I really didn't do anything wrong. If I was in her shoes and I saw her kissing someone else, I would probably react the same way. Neither of us has ever done anything like that, so it would be such a shock. I'm just grateful that everything is ok now." Joel said and leaned over to kiss Rory.

"Ok, child in the room." Ben joked.

"Come on Ben, it's not that bad." Rory joked. "We love each other."

"Just wait until you meet the right woman Ben. You'll be the same way." Joel said.

"It could be worse Ben. Your parents could be fighting all the time." Lorelai added. "Just be thankful that you've got a great family. Not everyone is so lucky."

Ben nodded and agreed with her. "So, how are the final wedding plans coming along?" He asked Rory.

"Good, I guess. I think we've got everything done, so we just need to show up on time." Rory smiled. "It's getting so close."

"It is." Joel agreed.

"Are you two more ok with your little girl getting married?" Lorelai asked.

"Sort of. I don't know that we'd ever be ready for it, but we can get on board with Catherine being happy. It seems like she's really happy with Jeremy, so that makes us happy." Joel explained.

XXXX

"So, how does it feel to be a married woman?" Joel asked his daughter as he danced with her at the wedding reception.

"Pretty darn good." She answered. "Thank you for getting on board with everything Daddy."

"You're welcome sweetie." Joel sighed. "Your Mom and I love you a lot and really want you to be happy."

"I know you do and I really am. I love Jeremy." She said as Jeremy walked up to them.

"Excuse me sir, but may I cut in?" He asked Joel.

"It's Joel, Jeremy. I guess you're allowed to dance with your wife." He joked before kissing Catherine's cheek and walking back to the table where Rory was sitting.

"You did good." Rory said and reached out to hold his hand. "She looks happy."

"Yeah, she does." Joel agreed and sighed. "I can't believe she's all grown up and married. I never thought I'd be one of those people who said 'It seems likes yesterday…', but that's so true. It really does feel like yesterday that she was born. I remember holding her in the hospital and thinking about what this day would be like. I can hardly believe she's married now."

"I know." Rory agreed and kissed his cheek. "She's become a wonderful woman, Joel. We did a good job."

"You two are looking very nostalgic." Lorelai said as she sat down next to Rory. 

"Just thinking about how fast Catherine's grown up." Rory said.

"I know that feeling. All my little babies are all grown up now too. It's kind of sad." Lorelai agreed. "However, there is one perk of kids growing up; Grandchildren."

"Oh I think we have a while before that happens." Rory insisted. "Catherine said she and Jeremy are for sure going to wait to have kids until after she's done with school. After that she's got law school, so she may even wait until she's done with that and established in her career. I think we'll have a long wait before we get any grandchildren."

"What is it with kids these days? They all want to wait to start having kids of their own." Lorelai joked. "I've been bugging Sam and Jenny to have a baby, but they refuse. They say that they will eventually, but I'm getting impatient." Lorelai laughed. "Hey! How about you two have another one?"

Both Rory and Joel looked at Lorelai like she had two heads before shaking their heads. "No way Mom." Rory insisted. "Not only are we too old, but we're really happy with Ben and Catherine. When you achieve perfection twice, it's best not to tempt fate a third time." Rory joked.

"Hey, look at that girl Ben's dancing with. Who is she?" Joel asked as everyone looked at the dance floor.

"That's Madelyn Sandberg. She just bought Weston's and has done really well with it. She's turned it into the place for wedding cakes and a really good espresso shop." Lorelai answered.

"He looks pretty smitten with her." Rory noted and smiled at Joel.

"What is it with our kids and falling in love with people in this town?" Joel asked. "Is there something in the water?"

"Yes, it makes you fall hopelessly in love with the first person you see." Lorelai joked. "It only works for outsiders though."

"What are we going to do if Ben decides to marry someone from here?" Rory began, but was quickly interrupted by Lorelai.

"You'll move back!" She exclaimed a little too loudly and people began to spread the rumor that Rory and Joel were moving to Stars Hollow.

"Oh geez" Rory groaned as several townspeople began to come up and congratulate them on their decision to move back.

**AN: I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far. I've got some exciting things coming, so I apologize if this chapter was a little dull. **


	16. Chapter 16

Catherine and Jeremy returned home from their honeymoon and moved into an apartment in New Haven near the Yale campus. Patrick and William helped them move and decided to go a little easier on Jeremy now that they knew him better. Rory and Joel bought Catherine a car as a wedding present, which she was very grateful for now that she would be commuting to school. Marriage was harder than either of them thought, but both tried really hard to make things work. The hardest part, however, was Jeremy's constant travels for work. He would be gone at least two weeks out of every month, which put a strain on their new relationship.

Abby took Rory up on her offer to attend the University of Washington and moved to Seattle. She found a good dorm on campus, but often spent the weekend at Rory's house. Abby still partied a bit, but had toned it way down and was doing very well in school.

Ben continued to email and call Madelyn Sandberg after meeting her at Catherine's wedding. They exchanged business tips and became good friends. Ben really liked her, but was apprehensive about getting too close to her at this point in his life. Before the family traveled to Stars Hollow for Catherine's wedding, he had gone to his doctor because he wasn't feeling well. The doctor ran many tests and finally concluded that Ben's leukemia had returned. Ben kept the news to himself until about a month after Catherine's wedding. He hated lying to everyone, but he didn't want to ruin his sister's special day. Plus, he needed some time to think about what he wanted to do for treatment. After careful consideration, he decided to take a semester off of school and fight the disease. Telling Joel and Rory wasn't easy, but they were very supportive and promised to do whatever they could to help him fight. They worked fewer hours so they could take him to doctors appointments and help him around the house. Abby even helped out as much as she could.

XXXXX

Rory was making dinner in the kitchen when there was a loud thud in Ben's room. She quickly turned the stove off and rushed into his room to find him sitting on the floor next to his bed trying to get up.

"Damn it" Ben swore and hit his fist against the floor.

"Ben, are you ok?" Rory asked as she bent down next to him.

"Yeah, just trying to get to the bathroom." He said and gritted his teeth while attempting to stand again. He failed to stand and again fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Here Ben, let me help you." Rory said and reached toward him as he held his hand up in protest.

"Thanks Mom, but I can do it on my own." He said and failed to stand on his third attempt, cursing as he sank to the ground. "Damn it!"

Rory didn't say anything but put her arm around his shoulder as he clenched his fists.

"I'm so sick of this. I'm so frickin weak that I can't even get to the bathroom before I piss on myself!" He said and looked down at his wet pants.

"Hey, it's ok Ben." Rory quickly assured him. "You're going to be ok. I just wish you'd let me help you more. I can't carry you anymore since you're bigger than I am, but I can still help. Here let's get you up and into the bathroom to clean up." Rory said and pulled him into a standing position. Ben put his arm over her shoulders while Rory held his waist and helped him walk down the hall and into the bathroom. She started the shower for him as he sat on the closed toilet and then helped Ben strip down to his boxers.

"I can take it from here Mom." Ben said.

"It's ok Ben, nothing I haven't seen before." Rory said gently and smiled at him in an attempt to ease his embarrassment.

"No, it's ok Mom. I'd at least like to keep one shred of dignity by being able to take a shower on my own." He insisted.

"Ok, I'll just grab the shower stool so you can sit if you need to." She said and moved the stool into the shower. She checked them temperature of the water and collected Ben's clothes from the floor. "I'll turn around and you can get into the shower. I promise I won't look, but I want to wash those boxers right away with these clothes." Rory explained and turned around while Ben did as he was instructed. "I'll come back in a few minutes with some clean clothes for you. I'll just set them on the counter. Any preference?"

"Grey sweatpants and my UW t-shirt please." Ben said.

Rory nodded and left the bathroom and quickly started the washing machine with Ben's clothes. She went into his room and found the clothes he had requested and took them to the bathroom. She knocked on the door and then set them on the counter before leaving the door slightly ajar and returning to the kitchen. "Just yell if you need any help at all. It's no trouble, just ask." She said and left.

A minute later, Ben called to Rory from the bathroom and she ran to him. He was sitting on the edge of the tub in his boxers, looking really pale. "Can you help me finish getting dressed?"

"Absolutely." Rory nodded and picked up the t-shirt from the counter and helped him get it over his head before helping him into his sweatpants. Ben sat on the edge of tub again for a minute until Rory helped him slowly make his way into the living room. "Just lay down on the couch for a while until dinner is ready. Dad will be home soon." She said and helped him onto the couch. Rory handed him the remote to the TV and went into the kitchen to finish cooking dinner.

About half an hour later Joel came home from work and walked into the living room. "Hey Ben" He said on his way to the kitchen to greet Rory. "Hey Hun." He said and kissed her. "Wow, you didn't have to make dinner all by yourself. I could have helped." He said while looking at everything Rory had prepared.

"Hi Joeley" She said and smiled at him. "I have class tonight, so I thought we should eat early."

"Oh, that's right. Sorry, I would have come home earlier to help if I'd remembered. It's the class you're taking for your PhD, not the one you teach for the English department, right?"

"Correct." Rory answered. "Ben's not feeling too well, so I thought we'd eat with him in the living room. Can you help me dish all this up and take it in there?"

"Sure" Joel said and began to get drinks for everyone.

A few minutes later, Rory walked into the living room and said "dinner's served!"

After everyone had dinner and it had been cleaned up, Rory said goodbye and left for class. Joel sat in the living room with Ben, watching TV and sipping a beer while Ben drank water. After Joel was sure Rory had left, he went into the kitchen and got a beer for Ben.

"What's that for?" Ben said as his Dad handed it to him.

"For you." Joel said as Ben took it. "I know you're not supposed to have alcohol, but I think just one won't hurt anything."

"Thanks." Ben said and drank some. "I could really use a drink after today."

"Rough day?"

"Yeah." Ben nodded. "I couldn't get out of bed all day. I tried to get up to go to the bathroom, but fell on the floor. I ended up peeing on myself and Mom had to help me get changed and into the shower. It was totally humiliating."

"Sorry Ben." Joel sympathized.

"Nothing like feeling totally helpless and weak." Ben joked.

Joel sighed and nodded. He absolutely hated that Ben was going through all this again, but also knew that Ben still wanted to feel like a man and not have everyone help him with every little thing. "Sorry about that. Anything I can do to help reduce any embarrassment or humiliation?"

"You could help me to the bathroom again." Ben joked, but Joel quickly stood up and helped Ben to stand up. Ben grunted as he struggled to take a few steps.

"You ok? I can carry you." Joel asked and Ben nodded slowly. Joel didn't clarify Ben's answer, but pulled Ben onto his back and quickly carried him to the bathroom. Ben requested some privacy, so Joel waited in the hallway before carrying him to the living room. As he was setting him down on the couch, he noticed just how much weight Ben had lost and how his son was practically wasting away before his eyes.

"Everything ok Dad?" Ben asked when he noticed Joel staring at him.

"I just noticed how much weight you've lost."

"Yeah, Leukemia is like the best diet ever." Ben joked.

"That's not funny Ben. You're practically skin and bone!" Joel worried.

"It's not that bad Dad. I'm not trying to make light of it, but I have to have a sense of humor or I'll go crazy." Ben insisted. "If I keep thinking about what could happen or how this could get worse, it makes me want to just give up. I don't want to do that. I want to fight this."

"Good. I want to help you fight it." Joel agreed. "Oh, I talked to your sister today. She and Joel are coming to visit this weekend, unless you aren't up for it. They both have a long weekend, so they wanted to come see you."

"Ok, I think I can manage." Ben said. "I do sort of wish that they wouldn't have to see me like this."

"I think Catherine just wants to see you regardless of whether you look sick or well."

"I know." Ben nodded. "Have you been talking to Jeremy lately? I still feel like I don't really know him."

"I talked to him last week. I'm still getting to know him, but I have to admit that he's a pretty good guy. I talked with Will Danes before they got married and Will gave a pretty negative view of Jeremy. He said that Jeremy had been a playboy since he was in high school and never really stuck with a girl for very long. He also said that Jeremy played around with drugs a little in high school. I was afraid that he was the same and would treat Catherine the same. I should have known better than to judge him like that. From everything that I've seen, he's different now. He treats Catherine very well and seems to be really in love with her."

"Good. Now I won't have to put a pillow over his face in his sleep." Ben joked as Joel rolled his eyes. "No, seriously though, I'm glad everything is working out well for Jeremy and Catherine. Catherine deserves the best."

"Glad we're on the same page." Joel nodded. "You want something else to eat? You getting hungry?"

"Not really. I can't eat much anymore. I just don't have the appetite. Although, some tea would be good."

"Ok, coming up." Joel said and cleared their beer bottles. He returned a minute later with hot tea for both of them.

XXXXX

Patrick looked at his cell phone and frowned when he noticed a missed call from Kelly, his former girlfriend.

"Patrick, I really need to talk to you." Kelly said on the message. "Can I stop by your place? I'm going to see my parents tonight. I realize this is last minute, but I've really got to see you. I'm a few hours away, so I guess I'll just see you when I get there. Bye."

He looked at the phone and noticed the message was from a couple of hours ago. He sighed and began to quickly tidy up his apartment.

Before long, the doorbell rang and Patrick quickly opened the door and was shocked when he saw Kelly. She was standing at the door with a baby and a couple of suitcases.

"Hi Patrick" She said and walked passed him into the living room of the apartment. Patrick looked down at the bags and back at Kelly before picking up the bags and setting them inside next to the door.

"Kelly, who's baby is that and what are these bags for?" He asked as he entered the living room.

"You should sit down." She instructed and sat next to him on the couch. "This is hard, but please let me say this."

Patrick nodded and sat nervously as Kelly started to explain.

"I should have called you a long time ago, but I was really confused and I didn't know what to do. About a month after we were last together I found out I was pregnant. We've always been so careful, I was completely caught off guard and I panicked. Don't freak out about paternity, I know he's yours. I wasn't with anyone else. Anyways, at first I didn't think I could go through with it, but I knew you'd be really upset if I didn't. So, I had the baby." Kelly explained to a stunned Patrick. She looked down at the sleeping baby and handed him to Patrick, who awkwardly held him in his lap. "Patrick, this is your son, Jay."

Patrick was attempting to speak, but appeared to be completely overwhelmed by the situation.

"Look, you know I've never really wanted to have kids, so that's why I'm here. You wanted to have kids, so he's yours now. I brought all of his stuff and some paperwork." Kelly explained and pulled an envelope out of her purse. She tossed it onto the coffee table and gave Jay a kiss on the check. "I'm sorry to just dump him on you like this, but I really can't take care of him. I did the hard part. I gave birth to him and took care of him for the last three months. I've got to go back to work in a couple weeks, so you're in charge now. I put your name on the birth certificate and had a lawyer draw up some paperwork so you know he's yours. I won't interfere. I know this is a shock and a lot to take on all of a sudden, so if you need money just give me a call. You'll also see that I set up an account for Jay that I'll put money into so he can go to college someday." Kelly explained. "Sorry Patrick, but I don't want to be a Mom. I know you'll be a great Dad." She walked over to the door and looked back at Patrick sitting in silence before turning and quickly going out the door.

Patrick looked down at the baby and stared at him for a few minutes before the baby sneezed and startled Patrick.

"oh, uh, bless you." He said awkwardly and touched the baby's nose lightly. "So, uh, what now?" He asked as if Jay was going to tell him everything he needed to know. Patrick's mind was racing and for the baby's sake he was trying really hard to not have a major freak out. He had no idea what to do and tried to think, but came up blank. He carefully reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone to call his parents.

"Hello?" Lorelai answered with a cheery tone in her voice.

"Mom. Uh, can you and Dad come over right now?"

"Is everything ok? You sound really upset." Lorelai said seriously.

"Um, I'm not sure. Can you just come?"

"We'll be right over." Lorelai assured him and hung up. Less than five minutes later, Lorelai was pounding on the front door.

"Come in" Patrick called from his spot on the couch.

"What's going on?" Luke asked as they came through the door and walked into the living room. Both Lorelai and Luke stopped in their tracks when they saw a baby in Patrick's arms.

"Who's is that?" Lorelai asked.

"Um, you should sit." Patrick said. They did as he said and waited patiently as Patrick tried to form words. "Kelly stopped by a little while ago and dropped him off. She said he's mine and she doesn't want to be a Mom. So, I guess I'm supposed to take care of him."

Both Luke and Lorelai sat in shock and looked back and forth between Patrick and the baby.

"You have a kid?" Luke finally spat out.

"Apparently" Patrick answered as the baby started to fuss. "uh" Patrick stuttered and held the baby a little tighter. Lorelai instinctively went over and sat next to Patrick and put her arm on Patrick's back and the other around the baby.

"shhhh" she said in an attempt to sooth both Patrick and the baby.

"uh, what do I do?" Patrick asked nervously. "How do I get him to stop doing that?"

"Him?" Lorelai asked and Patrick nodded. She smiled at Patrick's state of panic and carefully took the baby from him. "Does he have a name?"

"uh, um, Jay." Patrick finally got out.

"Well, I think Jay might be hungry. Luke can you look through those bags and see if there is a bottle and formula?"

Luke did as he was instructed and quickly went into the kitchen to prepare a bottle. He returned a minute later and handed it to Lorelai.

"It's been a while since I made a bottle. You should check to see if the temperature is right." He said.

Lorelai check the temperature before feeding the bottle to her grandson. "Looks like you're still a pro with the bottles." She said and smiled at Luke.

"I had lots of practice." Luke agreed.

Patrick, who had still been sitting on the couch in shock, suddenly stood up and raced to the bathroom. Luke followed, but went back to the living room when he heard Patrick throwing up.

"Poor guy." Luke said and shook his head. "How are you not freaking out right now?" He asked Lorelai as he saw her smiling at the baby.

"Mom mode." She answered. "This little guy needs to be taken care of right now. I'm freaking out inside, but must stay calm on the outside so he's calm. Plus, it's hard to freak out at when you look at his face."

Luke sat down next to Lorelai and grinned at the baby. "He looks just like Patrick did as a baby."

"That's what I thought." Lorelai agreed. "We're Grandparents Luke." She said in sudden realization.

"We were before. Rory's kids." Luke reminded her.

"Yeah, but this time we get to experience everything from the beginning. Well, almost the beginning." She reasoned. "Although, it would be nice if we could have a little more notice about our grandkids. They've all suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

"What are we going to do about this little guy?"

"I'm not sure. Obviously Patrick's not ready to take him on full time. It's not like he has much of a choice, but I think we should help him. They should both live with us for a little while until Patrick is more comfortable on his own." Lorelai suggested. "Patrick's barely been around babies that weren't his siblings. Even then he was too young to take care of them, so this is a whole new concept to him. I know new parents need to figure it out on their own, but this is a major shock. Usually, you have nine months to get used to the idea. Remember when we found out about Patrick?"

"Yes, that was quite the shock." Luke remembered.

"Remember how freaked out we were at first?"

"Yeah"

"We got over it eventually and were prepared when Patrick was born. He's just found out that he's a Dad and been given a kid to raise all in one day. It'll take a little while for him to get used to it." Lorelai reasoned.

Luke nodded and took a deep breath. He noticed the large envelope of paperwork sitting on the coffee table and picked it up before beginning to sort through it. He looked through various medical records and legal documents before coming across a birth certificate. "Jacob Patrick Danes" He said out loud and showed it to Lorelai.

"Jacob Patrick." She repeated. "I like that." The baby gurgled at the mention of his name. "Looks like someone else likes that too." Lorelai said as she tickled his belly.

"There's another copy of the birth certificate here." Luke said as he examined it. "Looks like Patrick is supposed to sign this copy." He noted as he saw the post it note attached to the paper. He looked at the next document and inhaled sharply.

"What?" Lorelai asked.

"This paper says that Kelly is giving up her parental rights." Luke explained. "As soon as Patrick signs that birth certificate and this document, he has sole custody of Jacob. It also says that Kelly won't have any sort of visitation rights and that she'll support Jacob financially upon Patrick's request. This also sets up an account for Jacob's college expenses, which Kelly will pay."

"wow. That's crappy. Is that Kelly's way to justifying this? Paying for college?"

"Apparently." Luke answered.

"I don't understand how she thinks that's ok. Nothing could ever make up for abandoning Jacob." Lorelai said as Patrick entered the room.

"Jacob?" Patrick asked as he slowly sat down on the couch next to Lorelai.

"That's his name. Says so on the birth certificate." Luke explained and handed the paper to Patrick.

Patrick took the certificate and looked at it and then back at Jacob. He took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes you can Pat." Luke assured him. "You're all he has. You have to step up and take care of him."

"I don't know anything about babies. What am I supposed to do with him?"

"We'll help you out Patrick. We'll show you what to do." Lorelai said before carefully handing the baby back to Patrick. "Hold his head." Lorelai instructed and moved Patrick's hand so he was securely holding Jacob's head. "You have to support his head until he can do it on his own."

"Ok, like that." Patrick asked nervously.

"Yeah, that's good." Lorelai encouraged him. "You can relax a little though. He'll be calm and relaxed if you just hold him naturally against you."

"Ok" Patrick said and adjusted the baby. Soon Jacob woke up and opened his eyes. Patrick and Jacob stared at each other for a minute until Jacob smiled and giggled which caused Patrick to smile back at him.

"Oh, he smiled at you for the first time." Lorelai suddenly realized. "Luke, get my phone, we need pictures."

Luke complied and quickly found the phone and handed it to her. Lorelai took a few quick pictures and then instructed Patrick to hold the baby up for a better picture of the father son duo. "That's a really good picture Patrick. Should I text it to all your siblings?"

"No, we should gather everyone together and tell them in person." Luke quickly said. "The last thing this family needs is another surprise, but we don't really have a choice. So, the least we can do is tell them all at once."

"Ok, to Grandma's house we go." Lorelai said while tickling Jacob.

"So, is this all his stuff?" Luke asked as he picked up the bags around the living room.

"Yeah, that's all that Kelly brought, so must be everything. I didn't go through it yet." Patrick explained. "I'll just go grab a few of my things and then we can go." He said and carefully passed Jacob to Lorelai.

"He is so cute." Lorelai said as she held the baby. Luke nodded and began taking the bags out to the car while Lorelai made faces at Jacob and tickled him.

"You seem to be having a good time." Patrick said as he reentered the room and tossed a bag on the couch. He quickly sat next to his mother and took a deep breath as he looked at Jacob. "I still can't believe I'm a father. How the hell am I going to do this? I'm not ready for this at all."

"That's why your Dad and I are going to help you." Lorelai said. "You'll be a great Dad Patrick. Sure, it's completely unexpected and you're scarred, but you're going to do a fabulous job. Jacob is really going to need a strong parent, especially since you're all he's got. You've just got to rise to the occasion Patrick. Put on the Superman cape."

"Superman cape?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. When you were about five years old, you loved Superman. You practically lived in that cape." She joked. "I may still have it stored away in the attic."


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! Happy reading…**

The weekend after Patrick found out about Jacob and moved into his parents house, the Danes clan gathered at Luke and Lorelai's house anxiously awaiting a reason for why they were called together. Lorelai connected with Rory, Joel, Ben, and Abby via Skype and set her laptop in the living room with the rest of her children and Catherine. All the kids except Abby were able to come home for the weekend at Lorelai's request.

"Ok, so, there is a reason why we called you all here." Luke began.

"Where's Patrick?" Jonathan interrupted.

"That's the reason we called you all here. Patrick has some news." Lorelai clarified. "Patrick, come out here and show everyone."

Patrick walked into the room from the hallway with a sleeping Jacob in his arms. Everyone looked at him and frowned as they tried to figure out what was going on.

"Is that a baby?" Rory asked via the computer.

"Yes" Patrick answered. He stood in front of his siblings and tried to find the right words to explain the situation. "I got a big shock this week. Kelly came to my apartment and dropped this little guy off. She said he was mine, but that she didn't want to be a Mom and left. So, I guess I'm a Dad and I have a son."

"Wow" Adam said. "You have a son. Wow."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Patrick agreed. "His name is Jacob Patrick Danes and he's three months old."

Everyone sat in stunned silence for several minutes as they took in the news.

"Can I hold him?" Catherine finally asked. Patrick nodded and carefully handed him to her. "Wow" She breathed as she looked at her cousin. "He's so perfect and beautiful."

"Dude, what happened?" Jonathan asked Patrick. "I thought you were the responsible one. Forget what a condom is?"

"Excuse me?" Patrick scoffed. "I don't really think that's worth discussing. Whatever happened is done and now this little guy is my responsibility. I am being responsible by taking care of him."

"I guess this is a reminder to always be careful." Jonathan joked as Patrick crossed the room with anger in his eyes.

"I was careful!" Patrick said as he pushed his brother. "I'm always careful! I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not going to have you accuse me of being irresponsible."

"Hey, hey, that's enough." Luke said as he pulled the boys apart. Sam also stood up between his brothers and slowly moved Patrick away from Jonathan.

"Patrick's right Jonathan." Sam said. "What's done is done."

"Sorry bro." Jonathan said and held up his hands. Patrick nodded and sat down on the couch next to Catherine as she held little Jacob.

"Hey, hold him up so we can see!" Abby yelled through the computer.

"Oh, sorry" Catherine said and did as she was instructed.

"Hi Jacob" Rory cooed at the baby. "He's cute Patrick."

"Thanks." Patrick nodded. "He is pretty cute, but not so much when he's screaming in the middle of the night."

"Yes, he has a lovely high pitched shriek." Lorelai agreed.

"It's kind of terrifying actually." Patrick admitted. "I'm still getting used to having him around and trying to figure out what he wants. I think he gets a little irritated that it takes me so long to figure it out."

"You'll get the hang of it." Luke encouraged him.

"Plus he's still getting used to me." Patrick added. "He's in a whole new environment. I kind of feel bad for the poor little guy. He was born into a screwed up situation."

"It'll be ok Pat." Jenny assured him. "You'll figure it all out and I'm positive you'll be a great Dad."

"Thanks Jenny."

XXXXX

As the fall weather descended upon Seattle, Rory and her family continued to struggle with Ben's illness. He was on an aggressive treatment schedule, but the leukemia didn't seem to be slowing down it's attack on Ben's body. Catherine and Jeremy flew out for a quick weekend trip to visit Ben and see how he was doing. Ben and Catherine had always been close and the distance during such a difficult time was hard for both of them. Even though Catherine was in the middle of the semester, she made it a priority to visit her brother.

"So, you and Jeremy seem to be getting along well." Rory said as she and Catherine made breakfast in the kitchen on Saturday morning.

"Yes, things are going really well lately. We've worked through some of our issues and I learned a lot more about his past, which is really helpful." Catherine explained as Rory raised a curious eyebrow. "Ok, I know you're going to ask for all the details. I'm not going to share them all because it's between Jer and I, but I'll give you the basics. You already know Jeremy didn't have the best upbringing. His parents are nice people, but their issues really affected him when he was growing up. The rumors of his wild days in high school are true. However, he's calmed down now and is committed to me. I trust him and I don't have any doubts about his faithfulness when he travels. Jeremy's been really honest with me about his past and his struggles. I really respect him for that."

"That's good sweets. I'm really happy that you two are doing so well. Sounds like you're really building a strong marriage." Rory said.

"Yes, now if I could only get him to pick his dirty socks up off the floor every day." She joked.

"Well, we all have our cross to bear." Rory joked and smiled at her daughter.

"Good morning" Jeremy said as he entered the kitchen and kissed Catherine. "Coffee?"

"Right here" She said and poured him a cup.

"Ben said he wanted to play basketball this morning and that he was totally going to beat me. He was joking, right?"

"Yes" Rory answered and smiled. "He's been making a lot of jokes lately to compensate for how weak his body is getting. Just play along."

"Uh, sure." Jeremy nodded. "Sorry, but it's kind of hard for me to joke around about that kind of thing. Ben's pretty sick."

"I know." Rory said.

"Ok, well, I'm going to take breakfast into Ben's room." Catherine said to change the subject. She quickly dished up some food and talked to Ben's room. "Breakfast!" Catherine called as she entered Ben's room with a bowl of oatmeal.

"Thanks" Ben said as he sat up in bed and took the bowl from her.

"How you feeling today?" Catherine asked as she sat on the edge of Ben's bed.

"About the same." Ben answered. "No energy, tired constantly, and no appetite."

"That sucks. I'm so sorry you have to go through this Ben." Catherine said sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Uh, yeah, actually there is something I wanted to ask you." Ben said and sat the bowl on the table next to his bed. "I don't really know what's going to happen with this disease. It seems to be getting worse and there is nothing I can do about it. I don't know if I'm going to make it."

"Ben, don't talk like that. Everything is going to be just fine. You're going to beat this." Catherine assured him.

"Ok, but I want you to do me a favor if I don't." Ben began. "I want you to promise me you'll take care of Mom and Dad. Promise me that you won't just stay on the East Coast forever and never visit. Please stay close to them and keep them involved in your life. Make sure they're taken care of as they get older."

"Ben, please" Catherine whispered with tears in her eyes.

"Just promise me Catie."

"Ok, I promise." She said and leaned over to hug him. "But you have to promise me that you're going to fight this stupid disease with everything you've got."

"Ok" He nodded. "Now, can I get a cup of coffee?" He smiled.

"Of course." Catherine nodded and went to retrieve it. She returned quickly and set the coffee on Ben's bedside table.

"Hey, Catie, one more thing." Ben said.

"Anything" Catherine answered and smiled at him.

"If you ever have a son, will you promise me you'll name him after me?" Ben said very seriously.

"Um, ah, I guess." Catherine mumbled completely caught off guard by Ben's request.

"I'm just kidding." Ben said and smiled at her. "The look on your face was priceless!"

"Shut up Benny!" Catherine said in mock anger and gently hit his arm before leaving the room.

XXXX

Later that morning, Rory and Jeremy sat in the living room watching TV. Joel and Catherine had taken Ben down to the beach for a little fresh air. They knew he wouldn't be able to get out of the car, but he could at least enjoy the view and get out of the house for a while.

"So, uh, Rory" Jeremy said awkwardly. "I heard a rumor that you and my Dad dated back in high school."

"Oh, that rumor is true." Rory answered. "Dean, your Dad, was my first boyfriend when I was sixteen. It's really crazy to think that now our kids are married. If someone would have told me that would happen all those years ago, I'd have laughed."

"Yeah, I bet it's kind of weird for you."

"I'm getting used to it." Rory nodded. "You two seem really happy, so I can get on board with that."

"Thanks Rory." Jeremy said. "I really appreciate your support. I know Catie and I got married really fast and I'm sure you wish we would have waited, so it's nice to hear that. I really do love your daughter and want to spend the rest of our lives together. Catie's really changed me and brought out the best in me. I couldn't have asked for a better wife."

"Catherine is very special." Rory agreed. "I don't know anyone who's more driven and passionate about what they do."

"I know. She constantly amazes me." Jeremy said and smiled. "You know, I just thought about the fact that someday you and my Dad will share grandchildren."

"Weird" Rory said and shook her head. "Definitely never thought we'd have common grandkids. Wait, you and Catherine aren't thinking about making us grandparents anytime soon, are you?"

"No" Jeremy shook his head. "Definitely not right away. We got married so fast that we want to take a few years before really thinking seriously about kids. Plus, Cate really wants to finish school first, which is probably wise."

"Ok, good." Rory agreed. "It's not that I don't want you guys to have kids, I just think you should wait a couple of years."

"We're on the same page then." Jeremy said and looked down before looking back up at Rory. "Hey, Rory, is there anything I can do to help you and Joel out with Ben?"

"Thanks Jeremy, but I think we're ok for now. Abby comes over and helps out once in a while and Joel and I have some really close friends who also help. I think we're ok, but I'll let you know if I think of anything." Rory said.

"Don't hesitate to ask for whatever you need. Even if it's just a day off. Catie and I can fly out more often if that's what it takes." Jeremy said. "I'm not really good with these types of situations. I feel like I need to do something to fix it or make it right, but I don't know what to do."

"That's ok Jeremy. None of us really know what to do." Rory assured him. "Honestly, it's just a day to day thing around here. We've made Ben our priority and just do whatever it takes to help him and make sure he's getting whatever he needs. We have people who help by driving him to the doctor and others who bring groceries to the house. It's just a big group of us all doing whatever we can. None of us really have the answer."

"Ok, well, I'll help as much as I can too." Jeremy agreed. "How about I take care of dinner tonight? I'm a pretty good barbequer."

"That'd be great Jeremy."

XXXX

Rory walked around the house shutting the lights off and locking all the doors for the night. Everyone had settled into their bedrooms for the evening and Rory was on her way to join Joel in theirs, but she heard someone at the front door.

"Midterms are over!" Abby shouted and threw her arms in the air as she stumbled into Rory and Joel's house.

"How much have you been drinking?" Rory asked Abby as they met in the hallway.

"Tonight or in my life?" She slurred.

"Tonight"

"Well, that's hard to say. I've been drinking." Abby giggled.

"Abby, you need to tone it down a bit." Rory said with annoyance in her voice. She was all for having a good time, but Abby's partying was a bit much at times.

"I should stay away from Joel." Abby whispered in Rory's ear. "I might kiss him again." She giggled.

Rory was less than amused and led Abby to the couch in the office. "You can sleep in here tonight. Ben's in his room, Catherine and Jeremy are in hers, so this will have to work for tonight."

"You're such a good big sister." Abby said as she removed her coat and shoes.

Rory nodded and helped her before getting a blanket from the closet and throwing it over Abby as she lay on the couch. "Now, go to sleep and stay away from my husband." Rory said light heartedly, but also seriously. She quickly turned the lights off and shut the office door before going back to her bedroom.

"Was that Abby again?" Joel asked as Rory shut the bedroom door.

"Yes" Rory groaned and sat down on the bed next to Joel. "She's been partying a bit much recently."

"Sorry you had to deal with that again. We should probably talk to her in the morning."

"I guess, but I don't know how much good it'll do." Rory sighed. "We're not her parents so we can't do a whole lot. Plus, she's an adult now and needs to learn how to make good decisions."

"That's true. Thank goodness we never really had those problems with Ben and Catherine."

"Yes. However, their problems tend to be more life altering; getting married really young, life threatening illness." Rory sighed. Joel smiled sadly and began to rub her shoulders.


	18. Chapter 18

The holidays quickly approached and found Rory's family still struggling with Ben's worsening health. As the disease attacked his body, he was admitted to the hospital for further treatment. Rory had planned to have the Danes family visit for Thanksgiving, but plans were revised so just Luke, Lorelai, Abby, and Catherin came. Jeremy was traveling for work and couldn't make it. Instead of a traditional family dinner, they cooked food at Rory and Joel's house and brought it to the hospital where they all ate.

"Catie, how's school going?" Ben asked as he ate.

"Pretty good" She answered simply.

"What about Jeremy?"

"He's good I guess. We fought before he left on his last business trip, so I haven't actually talked to him in a couple of days." She explained while looking down at her plate.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Ben apologized.

"It's ok. You didn't know." She shrugged while everyone else exchanged glances. "So, what's up in your life Ben? Meet any hot chicks around here?" She joked.

"Ha, not really." Ben laughed. "I am keeping in touch with Madelyn Sandberg from Stars Hollow though."

"Ah ha!" Rory exclaimed and pointed her fork at Ben. "I knew you were talking to a girl on the phone last week. You can't fool me mister."

"Rats. You found out my secret." Ben smiled. "I just don't want to make a big deal out of it is all. I'll admit that I like her, but I don't want to get too close at this point. It's not really fair to her to fall in love with a sick guy. So, I think just being friends and getting to know each other is perfect for right now."

Everyone nodded and exchanged sad smiles, but didn't say anything. They were all trying to stay positive, but had to admit that Ben made some good points.

"Here, have some more turkey Ben." Joel said to change the subject as he added more turkey to his son's plate.

"You know, we can talk about it." Ben said between bites.

"What?" Joel asked.

"The leukemia. We can talk about it." Ben said as everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "Obviously, it's getting worse or I we wouldn't be having Thanksgiving dinner in a hospital room. It sucks. I feel horrible all the time. I know you are all trying to be strong and be positive, but can we just be honest for a bit?"

"Ok Ben." Rory said. "I hate this. I hate everything about it. This isn't what your life is supposed to be like. You're supposed to be my perfect wonderful son who never has a single hardship in his life." Rory said and crossed her arms over her chest before Joel lovingly rubbed her back.

"I agree with your Mom Ben." Joel added. "This sucks."

"I think we can all agree on that." Abby added.

"What about treatment? What are the doctors saying?" Catherine asked.

"Chemo is still happening. I guess that didn't go quite as well as the doctors had hoped because now they want to do a bone marrow transplant." Ben sighed. "So, now I have to try and find a donor."

"I'll do it" Catherine interrupted him.

"Catie, it's a pretty big deal, you really don't have to." Ben assured her.

"No, I want to Ben. You're my brother and if there is something I can do to make you better, I'm going to do it. Can we do it soon?"

"I'll talk to the doctor when I see him tomorrow." Ben nodded. "I think there is a test or something they have to do to make sure you're a good match."

"Ok, I can be here tomorrow if the doctor wants to do the test right then and there. Maybe we can do the transplant over Christmas break?" She asked hopefully.

"I guess. I don't know. Let's just see what the doctor says tomorrow." Ben said and shrugged. "Thanks Catie, I really appreciate the offer."

"It's no problem Ben." Catherine said before leaning forward and kissing his forehead. "Anything to get you out of this hospital."

"Thank you" Ben said and smiled softly at her before changing the subject. "So, Grandma and Grandpa, how is little Jacob? Did you bring any new pictures?"

"Are you kidding?" Luke huffed. "There are a million pictures on Lorelai's phone." He said as she retrieved it from her purse and handed it to Ben.

"Cute kid." Ben nodded. "It's kind of nice to finally have a cousin."

"You two don't have cousins? What about your Dad's side of the family?" Luke asked.

"My sister, Rachel, doesn't have any kids." Joel explained. "She was never really big on kids in the first place and waited until she was in her late thirties to get married. She and my brother in law just never really had the desire to have kids, so the spoiled these two rotten instead." He joked while pointing to Catherine and Ben.

"Oh my gosh, I used to love spending the night with Aunt Rachel when I was little." Catherine smiled. "She had this great condo downtown that was totally chic and stylish. I felt like such a grown up every time we went there. There was a doorman in the lobby who always remembered me and called me 'Miss Alexander'."

"Sounds like a fun time." Lorelai nodded.

XXXX

"Hey Grandma?" Catherine asked Lorelai as they sat at the kitchen table each eating a piece of pie. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything." Lorelai said without looking up from her plate.

"This is kind of difficult for me to talk about." She began. "Oh, just so we're clear this needs to stay between us."

"Absolutely." Lorelai nodded and looked up to give Catherine her full attention.

"When you and Grandpa first got married did you argue a lot?"

Lorelai thought for a moment before answering, "a little, but I wouldn't really call it a lot. Why?"

Catherine sighed and shook her head. "Jeremy and I seem to be arguing constantly about every little thing. No one else seems to argue as much as we do."

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's probably better than not talking at all. At least you're getting your feelings out, right?" Lorelai offered.

"If we are actually getting our feelings out, I don't think either one of us is actually being heard."

"I hate to say this, because it sounds so awful and judgmental, but you two did get married really young. Now, your Grandpa and I were older when we got married, so most of our arguing was about taking our two separate lives and putting them together. You and Jeremy are both just starting out in life. You're still figuring out who you are. That's going to make being married more complicated." Lorelai explained.

"I knew marriage wouldn't be easy, but it just seems to be such a battle sometimes. It's like every time I think we're done fighting something comes up and we're back at each other again." Catherine said and shook her head. "I really don't want to fight with my husband, but I also don't want to just do everything his way."

"You need to compromise." Lorelai stated.

"I know, but he won't do it. I feel like I compromise all the time, but he has to have things his way or he isn't happy." Catherine frowned. "Just this last week, we were fighting about our finances. Mom and Dad are still paying for my tuition, which is really generous of them and I'm very thankful, but Jeremy seems to resent them for it. I don't really get it. Jeremy makes good money, but not enough to pay for Yale. Mom and Dad offered to give me some extra money to help with living expenses while I'm still in school, so I don't have to work, but Jeremy insisted he could support both of us. We get by fine and don't really need any help, but I keep having to ask Jeremy to put money in my checking account. Every time he puts money in, he wants to see what I'm spending money on and then we argue about how much I spend and what I spend it on. I hate having to explain myself to him all the time. It's not like I'm being irresponsible with money, it's just normal spending on everyday stuff. I don't think Jeremy really realizes how much it costs to run a household." Catherine ranted and then sighed.

"Well, have you guys sat down and made a budget? Luke and I do that and it's really helped. That way we're both involved in our finances and we both know what's going on."

"Yeah, we have a budget, but we still don't really agree on stuff. I don't over spend, but Jeremy does and then gets mad at me for spending money on essentials. I think the thing that makes him mad is that our living expenses have limited the amount he can spend on going out with his friends. He can still go out, I have no problem with that, but he can't just spend hundreds of dollars a month at bars and pubs." Catherine ranted again. "I don't know how to make him see that we're supposed to be in this together. Isn't marriage supposed to be a partnership?"

"That's tough." Lorelai said and reached out and squeezed Catherine's hand. "I'm no marriage counselor hun, but I do know from experience that you can't just force a man to do what you want. Have you two sat down and really talked about all this? Using words and not yelling?"

"I've tried, but Jeremy just gets upset and starts yelling. I'm at a loss as to what I should do. I really don't want to fight with him."

"Sorry hun." Lorelai said again. "Sorry too that I don't have a solution for you."

"It's ok. We just need to work it out between the two of us. I just wish it were easier." Catherine sighed.

"You've probably told me this already, so I apologize for my forgetfulness, but why does Jeremy's job require him to travel so much?"

"He works for his Dad's construction company and they do jobs all over the state and other parts of New England. Jeremy's training to take over the company eventually, so his Dad wants him to learn everything. Jeremy's job title is project manager, but he often gets assigned to help work on projects or oversee projects. This most recent trip was to some small town in Rhode Island. They're building a school, I think. I don't really know all that's involved in his work. He never wants to discuss it when he comes home. He just says he's tired and doesn't want to talk about it. I'm not sure if that's true or if he's having a hard time with his work." Catherine rambled on.

"It's ok sweetie." Lorelai said and smiled. "I'm sure you'll work it out."

"I really hope so Grandma. I really do love Jeremy and want to spend my life with him." Catherine said genuinely and then hesitated before continuing. "Sometimes I wonder if…if I'm enough for him."

"What? Why would you ever think that?" Lorelai questioned.

"I don't know. I just have doubts sometimes." Catherine shook her head. "These thoughts that I'm not smart enough or pretty enough or good enough in bed or a million other things."

"Catie, you're more than good enough." Lorelai assured her. "I don't really want to discuss the 'in bed' thing, but I'm sure everything is fine there." Lorelai joked as Catherine's face turned pink.

"Yeah, it's just that Jeremy was way more experienced than me when we got together. I mean, I had some experience, but only with two guys, so that's not much compared with Jeremy."

"I really didn't need to know that about you." Lorelai cringed. "I like to pretend that you and Jeremy have separate bedrooms." Lorelai joked.

"Ok, you're right. Enough sharing about that." Catherine agreed.

"Yes." Lorelai nodded and smiled. "Everything is going to be ok Catie. You'll see."

XXXXX

"Rory?" Luke said as he walked into the dark living room on his way to the kitchen early in the morning. Rory didn't respond from where she sat on the couch. She looked like she was going to go running, but she just sat there. "Rory?" Luke said again and sat next to her. "Are you ok?"

"huh?" Rory said and snapped out of her trance. "oh, sorry Luke. I didn't hear you."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just on my way out to go running." Rory said. "Actually, I was waiting for Ben until I realized that he wasn't even here."

Luke just nodded and put his arm around Rory as she tried to say what she was thinking.

"We always go for a Saturday morning run together. Every Saturday at seven in the morning no matter what. We meet here in the living room and then go. I've been waiting here for a while waiting for him, but then I realized that he's in the hospital and not even well enough to run." Rory said sadly.

"I'm sorry Rory." Luke said. "I could go for a run with you if you want. I'm kind of out of shape, but I could go for a little bit."

"Thanks Luke, but I think I kind of want to just go by myself this time. I'm going to make it short, but might as well go now that I'm all dressed for it."

"Ok, well I'll go ahead and get breakfast ready for when you come back." Luke said. "Pancakes sound good?"

"Yeah, thanks." Rory said and stood up. She quickly left the house and went for her morning run.

XXXXX

Joel finished tying his tie before putting on his suit jacket and walking back into his and Rory's bedroom. He smiled when he saw the early morning sun shining through the blinds and touching Rory's sleeping form. He sat on his side of the bed and reached over to touch her naked shoulder. "Rory" He whispered before lowering his hand to the smooth skin of her back. "Rory, you wanted me to wake you up on my way out."

"Mmmm" She mumbled before clutching the pillow closer.

"Rory, come on." He smiled before rubbing her back again.

"K" Rory mumbled before reaching up and trying to pull Joel back into bed. "Just a little longer"

"Sorry babe. As much as I really want to get back into bed with you, I can't. I have to go to work." Joel said and stood up off of the bed. "If you don't get up I'll just have your Mom come wake you up and then she'll see that you're naked." He joked.

"Thirty more minutes" Rory grumbled before Joel kissed her and left the room.

True to Joel's word, Lorelai came in about thirty minutes later. "Rory" She said in a sing song voice as she entered the room and sat on the bed. "Time to get up!"

"No" Rory grumbled and pulled the sheet up higher over her head.

"Yes" Lorelai said and pulled the sheet back before quickly throwing it back over Rory. "Geeze, put some clothes on." Lorelai joked before picking up Joel's dress shirt from the floor and tossing it at Rory. Rory grumbled a bit before pulling the shirt on and butting it up.

"I take it you and Joel's date ended well last night." Lorelai snickered as Rory stood up and began to make the bed.

"ah, yes." Rory nodded. "Although, I did have a bit too much wine. I'm always so tired the next day, you'd think I'd learn by now that wine and I aren't always friends." Rory said and threw a pillow on the bed.

"Wait, was that a tattoo I just saw on your lower back?" Lorelai frowned as Rory went to her dresser and quickly put on a pair of panties.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rory said before helping her Mom finish making the bed.

"Don't change the subject missy. I know what I saw. Lift up your shirt and let me see." Lorelai insisted.

Rory sighed and shook her head as she lifted the shirt high enough for Lorelai to see a tattoo of a rose with Joel's name written above the stem of the rose just above her hip. It wasn't very large, maybe four or five inches long, but it was noticeable enough for Lorelai.

"I never thought you'd ever get a tattoo, let alone one with a guy's name." Lorelai joked.

"Well, it wasn't exactly planned." Rory explained as she put her shirt down. "It was Joel and I's first anniversary and we got beyond drunk and I woke up with that in the morning. Neither one of us remembers anything about it. It's kind of funny now, but I was pretty pissed at the time. They really shouldn't let you get a tattoo when you're that drunk."

"Please tell me Joel has a matching one." Lorelai smiled.

"No, somehow Joel escaped without any kind of tattoos." Rory frowned and then shrugged. "I guess that's what we get for going to San Francisco for a wild and crazy anniversary celebration. I'm surprised we didn't end up locked away at Alcatraz."

"I'm still having a hard time believing you have a tattoo with Joel's name. Let me see it again." Lorelai joked before reaching for the edge of Rory's shirt. Rory quickly batted her hand away and rolled her eyes.

"Mom, just forget about it. It was a long time ago."

"There's nothing wrong with it Rory. The whole rose tattoo with a guy's name doesn't really scream you, but it's not really a big deal. If you really don't like it, how come you didn't get it removed?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, I was strongly considering having it removed, but then Joel admitted that he really likes it. I tease him for it all the time, but the tattoo doesn't really bother me, so I'll keep it for him." Rory explained. "Ok, bed is made. Now I need to shower and get dressed." Rory said and began to pick out clothes for the day as Lorelai nodded and walked toward the doorway.

**AN: Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! I always love hearing what you have to say. I apologize that this chapter is a little short, but the next one is going to be long. Plus, I figured you'd rather have a little something now instead of a longer wait for a big chapter. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your thoughts on this.**

"I have to say, I'm seriously impressed Professor Alexander." Lorelai told Rory as they left the college classroom. Lorelai had taken Rory up on her offer to sit in on a literature class she was teaching.

"It was an ok class. The students are a little sluggish after the Thanksgiving break. We had a really lively debate last week." Rory shrugged as they made their way back to Rory's office. "Abby's doing well in my intro class."

"That's good. It would be really bad if she wasn't doing well in her sister's class." Lorelai smiled. "I'm really proud of you Rory. Not just because of your education, career, or family, but because of who you are. You've become an amazing woman and I really admire you."

"Thanks Mom." Rory smiled and blushed slightly before giving Lorelai a quick hug. They soon found their way to the English Department offices and were greeted by the office assistant and several student workers. Rory introduced Lorelai to everyone and then poured two cups of coffee in the kitchen before showing Lorelai her office. Lorelai slowly took in the walls covered in family pictures and a few posters. The one wall that wasn't covered in memories was a wall of bookshelves. The office was small, but seemed to be a sanctuary of knowledge and reason.

"I like this office. It's very you." Lorelai said as she sat in a chair across from Rory's desk. She noticed a cardboard coffee sleeve next to a picture frame and picked it up, examining the logo and trying to determine its importance.

"Other side" Rory suggested.

Lorelai turned it over to see a note scribbled in black sharpie. "For my beautiful intelligent wife. Best of luck teaching your first class, Joel." She read out loud and smiled.

"Joel rushed into the classroom right as I was starting my first class and forced that into my hand. I was running late to the class, so I'd skipped picking up coffee on the way. Somehow Joel must have known I needed it and showed up just in time. He's always been really thoughtful like that." Rory explained. "Its little things like bringing me coffee right when I need it or sending me a random text to say he loves me that really remind me of one of the many reasons why I love him so much."

"He does seem to really understand you and make an effort to do little things like that." Lorelai remarked. "I'm glad you have such a good husband who adores you."

"Thanks." Rory nodded. "I happen to like him a bit myself."

"Your Grandparents would be really proud of you Rory. Grandpa would have probably bought a house in Seattle just so he could come and listen to your lectures. He would have really loved that you're a professor." Lorelai said.

"He would have." Rory agreed. "I'd have loved to have him sit in on classes and discuss what books I should have my students read. He would have really loved it." Rory said sadly.

"Hey, is that you with a broken arm?" Lorelai asked as she looked at the wall behind Rory.

Rory turned in her chair to see which picture her Mother was pointing at and then smiled. "Yes, that was about two years ago." Rory said and examined the picture before taking it off the wall and handing it to Lorelai. In the picture, Ben was carrying Rory as she held her casted arm up for whoever was taking the picture to see. "Ben and I were out running in the rain and I fell. I landed on my arm and broke it. We were a couple blocks from home, so Ben picked me up and carried me back home before driving me to the hospital. Joel wanted to take that picture because he didn't believe that Ben actually carried me."

"You all take really good care of each other." Lorelai noted. "You and Joel are awesome parents and your kids love and respect you. Not every son would have carried his Mom home in the rain. I'm sure most would be concerned, but it's nice that Ben did that."

"I would have done the same thing, but it would be hard for me to carry him back since he's bigger than I am. I sure as heck would have tried though." Rory joked. "As much as we all love each other, we're certainly not perfect. We make mistakes and handle things wrong just like other parents and families do."

"What? You mean you're not all chiseled out of cream cheese?" Lorelai joked. "I thought you were all perfect."

"Yeah, no. We wish, but we certainly aren't." Rory said and lowered her head. "If I were perfect, I wouldn't have hurt you so much by leaving."

"Rory" Lorelai sighed. "I think you've fallen on your sword enough for that. Let's just keep focusing on moving forward."

"Ok" Rory agreed.

"There is something that I would like to discuss about that time though." Lorelai added. "It's not really to make you feel bad, just my own curiosity and concern. You just said you broke your arm, which reminds me of the time I broke my leg when you were little. Remember that?"

"Ah yes, the infamous yoga class." Rory nodded. "I believe that was the last athletic activity you tried."

"Yeah, well, look how it turned out. Can you blame me for quitting?" Lorelai joked. "Seriously though, several years later, when you were a teenager, your Grandmother saw a picture of me with a broken leg and got really upset. She was really hurt that I didn't call her and let her know what was going on with me or ask for help while I was on crutches. I told her that it really wasn't that big of a deal and that she would have known if something were really wrong with me." Lorelai said and took a breath. "I guess what I'm wondering is along the same lines. I realize that calling me out of the blue after so many years just to say you have a broken arm would have been strange. Not that I didn't want to hear from you, but you know what I mean. If you had some serious health issue, would you have let me know?"

"Yes, you would have known if there was something really wrong with me." Rory answered quickly. "I know we've talked about when Ben was little and he was sick and how I wanted to call, but couldn't get the courage to do it, but I feel like that was different. Mom, you have to know that if I had really been ill, I would have called you or Joel would have."

"Ok" Lorelai said and nodded. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Hey Professor" Abby said as she casually walked into Rory's office and stopped Lorelai and Rory's serious conversation. "Hey Mom. What are you doing here?"

"Sitting in on a class. What are you doing here?" Lorelai joked.

"I was coming to see if I could take my English Professor out to coffee in exchange for a good grade on tomorrow's quiz." Abby said and smiled.

"Didn't they just have midterms?" Lorelai questioned and Rory nodded. "You're cruel."

"Actually, if the students really evaluated it, they'd see that I'm doing them a favor. I give a quiz every other week, three papers, a midterm, and a final. If the students study hard for the quiz, they'll do well and it will boost their overall grade up a bit. Plus, the topics covered in detail on the quizzes are usually repeated as a minor part of the other tests." Rory explained.

"It just doesn't seem that way as a student though." Abby said.

"You'll see when you get to the end of the course. Plus, you did well on the previous quizzes and midterm, so I'm sure you'll do great again." Rory said and began looking through a stack of papers on her desk before pulling out Abby's midterm and handing it to her.

"Wow, you graded them already?" Abby asked as Rory nodded. "I guess there are some perks to being the Professor's sister. You get papers back early."

"Technically, it's not really early. If any other students want their paper, I'll give it to them right now. However, I am going to hand them out in class tomorrow." Rory said. "Happy with that grade?"

"Yeah, it's an A minus. I'll take that any day, especially since it was a hard midterm."

"Good. It's not like I'd change the grade anyway if you didn't like it." Rory said. "You did pretty well compared to the rest of the class. The average grade was a B, so that A minus is very respectable."

"Thanks, how about I treat you to a cup of coffee?" Abby offered as Lorelai took the midterm from her and began to look through it.

"Sounds good, but I better buy. I'd rather not have someone think you're trying to bribe me with coffee."

"Would it work?"

"Probably" Rory joked.

XXXX

Christmas rolled around without much celebrating in the Alexander household. They had planned to visit Stars Hollow and have a large family Christmas with the Danes, but Ben's condition worsened and required Rory and Joel to stay in Seattle. Catherine and Jeremy spent Christmas Day with the Danes family and Jeremy's Dad's family. The next day they visited Jeremy's Brother Aaron and Mom's family. Catherine desperately wanted to spend more time with Ben, so they planned to be in Seattle for New Year's Day. Rory and Joel spent every day in the hospital with Ben as they watched him get worse. Catherine had promised Ben she would donate bone marrow during her visit, but it was looking like she might be too late. Rory and Joel had discussed alternatives with Ben's doctor, but Catherine was going to be tested and then donate, if possible, so they suggested they wait a few days until Catherine came to Seattle. Rory could hardly stand to watch Ben suffer and almost dreaded going to the hospital some days.

About two days after Christmas, Rory woke up early in the morning and gathered things to take to the hospital. Ben had received a few late Christmas cards, so she threw them in with a few magazines Ben had requested. She picked up a couple cups of coffee and arrived at the hospital just as Ben was waking up.

"Good morning" Rory said as she handed Ben a cup of coffee. He quickly set it on the bedside table and winced in pain.

"My shoulder hurts." Ben complained.

"Do you want me to get the nurse?"

"No, it was sore last night and they said it was just part of this disease. It's starting to have a bigger affect on my muscles. Do you think you could help me with that coffee?" Ben asked.

"Sure" Rory quickly agreed and set all of her stuff down before taking the lid off of Ben's cup. It had cooled just enough for him to drink on her way to the hospital, so she carefully lifted the cup to his lips for him to sip. After a couple minutes, Ben said he was finished and Rory sat down next to him. They talked for a few minutes before Rory remembered the Christmas cards and fished them out of her purse. "These came in the mail for you." She said and handed them to Ben.

"This one's from Stars Hollow." He said and ripped it open. He smiled as he read the note before saying it was from Madelyn. "She wants to come visit."

"Really? What do you think? Could be fun."

"No, I don't want her to come." Ben said firmly. "I don't want her to see me like this."

"Ok, that's fine. We'll have her come when you're better." Rory said.

Ben nodded and looked down for a minute before frowning. "I don't know if I'm going to get better."

"Yes, you are." Rory insisted and stood up next to Ben's bed. "I don't want to hear anything to the contrary. You're going to get better."

"Mom, it's ok" Ben whispered as he lay in his hospital bed.

Rory held his hand tightly as silent tears ran down her cheeks. "No" Rory insisted. "I forbid it."

"Mom, it's getting too hard to fight." Ben whispered. "Might just be time."

"No. You're not allowed to die Ben." Rory said sternly as tears continued to roll down her face. "I'm not allowing you to go. You're going to get better."

"Ok, Mom." He said and squeezed her hand. Rory wiped the tears from her face and kissed Ben's forehead.

"You're not going anywhere Ben." Rory whispered.


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and feedback on the last chapter! Also, I have to give credit and a big 'Thank You' to TL22 for ideas that contributed to this chapter (Proof that I really do listen to reader feedback. Lol). **

XXXXX

As soon as Catherine and Jeremy arrived in Seattle, they went straight to the hospital. They both were tested to see if they matched as donors for Ben. They waited anxiously in Ben's room before the doctor came and gave them the results. Catherine was shocked that she wasn't a very good match and that Jeremy was an ideal donor. Catherine hadn't even thought about what she would do if she couldn't be a donor. She just assumed it would all work out. Turns out she was wrong. Jeremy didn't jump at the chance to be a donor, but said he would consider it. Ben seemed disappointed, but tried to cover it up and told Jeremy it was no big deal.

Catherine explained the situation to Rory and Joel, who tried to not go into panic mode. They didn't really want to wait around for Jeremy to make a decision, so they started contacting everyone they knew to try and find a donor. The entire Danes family got tested, but none were a very good match. Luke was a fairly good match, but because of his age the doctors didn't want to use him as a donor. They reserved him as a last resort option, but held out hope that someone else could be found.

"Jeremy, can we talk about this?" Catherine asked as she opened the freezer and pulled out a carton of ice cream. She opened a drawer and pulled two spoons out and put them in the ice cream before sitting at the kitchen table with Jeremy. Rory had gone back to the hospital to say goodnight to Ben while Joel decided to go to bed early.

"I guess." He said and began eating the ice cream. "I still haven't made a decision about donating bone marrow, if that's what you want to talk about." 

"Why not? I don't understand what's to think about. Ben is sick and a bone marrow transplant will make him better. You heard what the doctors said today. You're a good match, so why not do it?"

"It's not just as simple as giving blood. It's a somewhat painful procedure and I'd have to take time off of work. I'm not sure we can afford that right now." Jeremy said before taking another bite of ice cream.

Catherine sighed and set her spoon on the table before looking back up at Jeremy. "The money doesn't matter right now. We're talking about my brother's life! Take time off work. You've got some vacation time saved and I'm sure your Dad will understand."

"What about the cost of the procedure?"

"If our health insurance doesn't cover it, maybe my parents' insurance will. If not, I'm sure my parents would be more than happy to cover whatever costs are involved. Heck, we can go into debt if we have to, it's that important Jeremy. This isn't like buying new furniture. This is Ben's life!" Catherine shouted.

"You think I don't know that?" Jeremy spat at her. "You think I want your brother to die?"

"It sure seems like it." Catherine said coldly and stood up from the table. Jeremy clenched his jaw and stood up before grabbing her arm.

"You're not helping make this decision easier. You're just trying to force me to do it."

"Not everything is about you Jeremy." Catherine said and yanked her arm free. "You don't even care at all what happens to Ben."

"Of course I do! If I didn't I wouldn't still be here. I'd have hopped on a plane back to Connecticut. It's not like I really wanted to come out here anyways." Jeremy said and sat back down at the table. "I really need to be at work, not messing around in Seattle."

"This is important to me Jeremy. This is my family." Catherine said and joined him back at the table.

"Well, I just don't have time for it."

"See, this is why you need to learn to compromise." Catherine said with frustration in her voice.

"I need to learn to compromise? Ha, I think you need to learn." Jeremy scoffed. "Every time we disagree about something you just want your parents to solve it. We run low on money and you're ready to just call them and ask for help. I don't want to do that Cate. That's not how this marriage is going to work."

"My parents have offered many times to help us out with money. They know it's hard to start out with nothing. They just don't want to see us struggle." Catherine defended herself.

"Well, it makes me feel like less of a man every time you dismiss my ability to provide for the both of us."

"I'm not dismissing you."

"It feels that way to me." Jeremy said honestly. "Look, I know I'm a little old fashioned in some of my views on marriage. I'm not saying that you have to stay home and run the house while I work. You're free to do whatever it is you want. I just need to feel like my work is valid and that I can make enough money to provide for the two of us. I don't feel like a man when you don't let me do that."

"Oh, I'm sorry Jer. I didn't even think." Catherine said and reached out to hold his hand. "I really appreciate you wanting to provide for us. I really do. I'm not trying to make you feel like less of a man by asking for help. I just didn't want you to have to work so hard is all."

"I appreciate your concern and thoughtfulness, but I really need to handle this on my own Cate."

"Gah! Can you please just stop being so stubborn! It wouldn't kill you to just let some of the pressure off!" Catherine said and stood up. "Then maybe we could enjoy being married instead of fighting all the time!"

"We wouldn't fight all the time if you could just be happy!" Jeremy yelled back and stood up. He slowly walked toward her and looked her in the eye as he crossed his arms. "You're never happy with how things are. You always want things to be a certain way or you just aren't happy. I'm having a hard time trying to please you all the time or be the person you think I should be. I'm sick of acting."

"Acting? You're acting!" Catherine scoffed in disbelief.

"Yes, I act sometimes. I can't be myself when you don't like that person! I have to be the person you imagine I should be!" Jeremy yelled.

"I never asked you to do that!" Catherine raised her voice and shook her head. "Why do you always put all of our problems on me? I thought this was supposed to be a partnership. Why am I always at fault?"

"Because you're the one who always wants everything to perfect! Gah, you're just a little bitch sometimes with all this nagging and petty arguing."

"Jackass" Catherine breathed before lightly pushing Jeremy away from her. He took a small step backwards before pushing Catherine into the wall with a bit more force than he intended to. Catherine screeched as she hit the wall and started hitting Jeremy's chest while he tried to grab her arms. Suddenly, Jeremy was thrown to the ground by Joel.

"Get the hell out of my house right now." Joel said very seriously as he stood over Jeremy.

"Joel, hey, I didn't mean to-"

"Get out Jeremy. Now." Joel insisted and pulled Jeremy to his feet. "Go" Jeremy shook his head and quickly left the house before Joel physically threw him out.

"Catherine." Joel said as he turned to her and saw her sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, clutching her knees to her chest. She didn't say anything, but wiped a few tears from her cheeks and started shaking. Joel quickly sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "You're safe now, I've got you." Joel said and held her tightly. A few minutes later Catherine stopped crying and Joel helped her stand up. He frowned when he saw blood on the sleeve of her shirt around her elbow. Joel helped her to the sink and rolled up the sleeve to reveal a cut on her elbow from where she had been slammed into the wall. Joel retrieved the first aid kit and cleaned Catherine up before they sat in the living room together. "Catherine, you have to say something." Joel said while looking at her.

"I don't know what to say." Catherine said with a stunned expression on her face. "Did that just happen?"

"Yes. I woke up to hear you two arguing and quickly slipped on my sweats to see what was going on. I walked into the kitchen to see you push Jeremy and then him throwing you into the wall. It was pretty bad." Joel sighed. "Catie, has Jeremy always done this to you? How long has he been hurting you."

"He doesn't. We just got a little out of control tonight. I shouldn't have pushed him first." Catherine said quickly.

"No. No one should ever hurt you, ever." Joel said.

"Hey!" Rory said as she entered the front door and walked into the living room. "What's going on?" She said and stopped as she looked at Joel and Catherine.

"Jeremy and I got into a fight." Catherine said.

"It got physical. He threw her into the kitchen wall." Joel said. "Her elbow is kinda banged up, but should be ok. I'm going to kill Jeremy if he ever comes in this house again."

"What?" Rory said. "Where is he now?"

"I kicked him out and I don't really give a damn where he goes as long as it's not here." Joel said.

"Sweetie, how are you?" Rory said quietly as she sat down next to her daughter.

"I'm ok."

"Really?" Rory questioned.

"Yeah, I just don't really know what to think right now. I think I'm going to go to bed." Catherine said before saying goodnight to her parents and going to her bedroom.

"She's in shock." Rory said and stood up from the couch. "Are you ok?"

"Not really. I'm really pissed at Jeremy." Joel said and stood up to show Rory into the kitchen. He pointed to the wall which had a small hole from where Catherine's elbow had gone through it.

"Looks bad." Rory said as she examined the hole. "What do we do now? How do we protect Catherine?"

"I don't know. I've never been in this situation." Joel replied. "Personally, my gut instinct is to keep Catherine here and never let Jeremy near her again. However, I know I can't do that and still maintain a relationship with our daughter. So, I guess we just follow her lead and do everything we can to make sure this is a one time incident."

"I wish we could do better than that." Rory nodded and then shook her head. "Joel, how did this happen? I thought Catherine and Jeremy were doing really well."

"I thought so too. From what I heard of their argument, this was the breaking point for a lot of things that have been going on."

"I really wish there was something I could do to fix all this." Rory frowned. "I don't like seeing Catherine struggle so much."

"Neither do I."

XXXX

Catherine slowly walked into her parents' bedroom and over to her Mom's side of the bed. "Mom" She whispered and touched her shoulder. "Mom, I need to borrow your car." Catherine said as Rory finally rolled over and opened her eyes in the dark room.

"What? Why?" Rory said in a raspy voice.

"I need to go get Jeremy."

"Ok, but where is he and why do you have to go get him in the middle of the night?"

"I have to go downtown to the police station. I don't really know what's going on, but the police just called my cell phone and asked me to come pick him up." Catherine said.

"The keys are on the kitchen counter." Rory said. "You want me to come with you?"

"No, I've got it under control. Thanks." Catherine said and quickly left the room as Rory rolled back over and went to sleep. She quickly went to the kitchen, retrieved the keys to her Mom's car, and drove downtown. Catherine entered the police station and walked to the front desk clerk.

"Hi, I'm Catherine Forrester. I'm here to pick up my husband, Jeremy Forrester."

The clerk nodded and looked up some information in the computer before a police officer came out and escorted her back to an office.

"Mrs. Forrester, I'm officer Jones." He began. "You're husband was arrested at a club after he started a fight. He was drunk and had marijuana on him."

"Oh my gosh. Is he ok? Did anyone get hurt?"

"Everything is fine." The officer said. "He was pretty out of it, so he couldn't really hurt anyone because he was moving slowly. We took him in to get him out of there and off the streets. I saw that he's from Connecticut, so I'm going to cut him a little slack. Since no one was really hurt, I'm going to let him go if you promise to take him home for the night and keep him off the streets. I don't know about Connecticut, but marijuana is illegal in Washington State, but I'm going to give him a warning this time."

"Thank you officer. I really appreciate your kindness. My brother is in the hospital and it's been rough on all of us." Catherine said. "We're just having a rough time right now, but I assure you that you won't be seeing Jeremy again. When can I take him home?"

"I'll release him to you right now." The officer said and escorted Catherine back to the waiting area before bringing Jeremy out a few minutes later. He looked terrible; blood shot eyes, pale skin, and his hair was a mess. Catherine quickly took his arm and thanked the officer before helping Jeremy into the car. They didn't say anything the entire way home or as they walked into the house and sat down on the living room couch.

"What happened Jer?"

Jeremy just shrugged and hung his head while Catherine looked at him and waited for a response.

"I thought you were done with all the drugs and had calmed down the drinking." Catherine asked.

"It's not that easy for me Cate." Jeremy sighed. "It's a hard road."

"Well, I want you to quit." Catherine insisted.

"Fine" Jeremy shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"You can sleep out here tonight. I don't want you in my bed." Catherine said coldly and left Jeremy alone in the living room. She shut the door to her room and quickly forced the trundle bed back under her twin sized bed. She felt betrayed and lied to and wasn't in the mood to be around anyone at the moment. Jeremy had promised her that all of his bad behaviors were in the past and he assured her that they wouldn't resurface. Catherine knew it was naïve of her to assume that all of his struggles wouldn't resurface, but she had hoped it wouldn't happen like this. She hoped that Jeremy would have talked to her and not just turned to drinking and drugs, but she was wrong. Catherine quickly changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed and attempted to fall asleep for the night.

XXXXX

Catherine didn't explain much to her parents about what had happened between her and Jeremy, but they cut their trip short and returned to Connecticut. Jeremy hadn't said a word to Catherine until she cornered him two days after they returned from Seattle.

"Jeremy, why won't you do this?" Catherine asked in frustration.

"Because I don't want to." Jeremy said stubbornly.

"This isn't about what you do or don't want to do Jer. Ben needs a bone marrow transplant and you're a good match. If you do this it'll save his life!"

"Find someone else. There has to be someone else who can do it."

"But you can do it now! If we have to find another donor it'll take too long!" Catherine pleaded. "Why won't you do this Jeremy?"

Jeremy crossed his arms and looked away before mumbling, "Because your family hates me."

"What? They don't hate you Jer." Catherine insisted and reached out to touch his arm before he stepped away.

"Yes they do Cate! Ever since you and I started dating they've done nothing but judge me. They only gave me a small chance because we got married. If it hadn't been for that, they would have never even tried to get to know who I am. They still don't really want to know me. They have this preconceived image of some lying, cheating, low life in their minds and they refuse to believe anything else. Why the hell would I help your family when they don't even like me!" Jeremy spat out.

"You're not giving them a chance either! They don't hate you Jer. They just don't know you like I know you." Catherine insisted and tried to calm him down. "Besides, Ben has never really done anything to you. If you're really bothered by my family, try to look passed them and do this for Ben. He doesn't hate you."

"Yeah, well your family refused to look passed my Dad when they look at me. They see the mistakes he made with your Mom and that's all they care about. I'm not my Dad and you're not your Mom."

"I know Jer."

"Well then tell your family!" Jeremy yelled. "I'm so sick of this. I just want to be able to have my own life and live with my wife without her family interfering!" Jeremy seethed and walked toward the door. "Catherine, you need to talk to your family and get this straightened out. I'm going to cool of tonight and come back tomorrow. You really need to think what you want here. I'm not saying it's me or them, but I need to feel like a priority in your life. I don't feel like a priority now." Jeremy said and walked out the door, leaving Catherine standing in the living room with a look of shock on her face.

Catherine took a deep breath as she sat on the couch and thought about what just happened. She knew that her family had been hard on Jeremy, but she didn't realize that it had affected him that much. That thought slapped her in the face; she didn't know something was bothering her husband. She was supposed to know him better than anyone, but hadn't really picked up on this big issue. Would calling her family and telling them all to back off be enough? Did Jeremy want her to promise to side with him and ignore them? She was so confused and didn't know who to talk to. So, she sat on the couch and continued to think about everything Jeremy had said. This was something Catherine needed to figure out on her own.

Jeremy didn't come back the next day like Catherine had expected. She hadn't told anyone about their fight and hoped they could work it out between themselves. The last thing she wanted was to get her family involved again and drive Jeremy further away. Finally, around dinner time, Catherine decided to call Jeremy's cell and find out where he was.

"Hello?" He finally answered after several rings.

"Jer" Catherine said and waited to see if he hung up. When he didn't, she cautiously continued. "Jer, can you please come home?"

"Cate…"

"I'm making your favorite for dinner."

"I'll be there in a little while." Jeremy sighed and hung up.

About an hour later, Jeremy walked in the front door and slowly made his way to the kitchen. He set his keys on the counter and watched as Catherine finished cooking dinner.

"Hi" She said quietly and carried their plates to the kitchen table. Jeremy sat down and waited until she returned with drinks before they started eating. Neither said a word until they were finished eating.

"Thanks for dinner." Jeremy finally spoke.

"You're welcome. Thanks for coming home."

"I'm not staying." Jeremy clarified.

"Jer, please. Let's not let this divide us."

"It's a big deal to me Catie." Jeremy insisted. "We're both adults and we deserve to be treated as such. I don't want to have your family interfering in our marriage."

"Jer, please. They won't interfere, I promise. Please, just stay and let's work this out."

"Ok" Jeremy gave in. "Let's talk."

"Ok, uh, where do we start?" Catherine wondered. "I'll talk to my family and get them to back off on you."

"It's not just that. Even if they back off, they're still going to hate me. They're too closed minded about me. I don't think anything is going to change that. They're just waiting for me to screw up." Jeremy said. "Even if I help Ben out, it's not going to make a difference."

"It will make a difference to me." Catherine quickly added. "You know I'd give Ben my bone marrow, but you're a better match. You heard what the doctors said. It's better for you to do it. Can you please just do this for me?"

Jeremy sighed and looked down at the floor. "You know, this isn't what I had in mind when you said we should get married. I wanted to wait, but you insisted that things would be better once we got married. Well, are things better? It's not just everything with Ben, Cate. It's you telling me what to do and trying to fit me into your perfect image of what a husband should be. I'm sorry, but I'm just not that perfect guy. I can't live up to your expectations."

Tears sprung to Catherine's eyes as she looked at him and frowned. "What? You're just going to give up that easily. I ask you to do something hard and think about someone else and you won't even try? Maybe you're not the man I thought you were." She huffed. "You're just going to walk away from what we have together? What about our future? What about the life we planned to have together? Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Of course it does, but I'm just not so sure that I really want it as much as I thought I did." Jeremy shrugged.

"Excuse me?" Catherine scoffed.

"See, we can't even talk about anything without you getting all high and mighty!" Jeremy yelled. "Why are you always the perfect angel and I'm the demon? You're not so perfect yourself!" Jeremy walked closer to her, breathing heavily with anger, and stopped about a foot from her face.

"Don't yell at me!" Catherine said before slapping his face. Her eyes went wide at the sound of her hand hitting Jeremy's face and she stepped back toward the kitchen.

Jeremy stood in silence for a moment before he crossed the room and grabbed her. "You do not get to do that!" He said before tossing her down onto the floor. Jeremy quickly grabbed his keys and left before Catherine could cry out in protest. She lay on the ground for a few moments before checking to see if she was hurt. There wasn't any blood, but a few bruises were beginning to form on her arm and her hip was already a bit sore. Catherine tried not to blame herself for her injuries, but she had slapped Jeremy first. She never thought she'd be in a relationship that became physical like that, so she didn't really know how to react. The thing that really surprised her was that she blamed herself rather than Jeremy, when he was the one who should bear the blame for hurting her. As Catherine thought about it further, she also remembered that Jeremy had been beaten by his step-father. Very few people know about that, including his own father, but he had told Catherine. Jeremy's step-father had always been rough with him and his brother, but that turned into physical roughness about the time Jeremy was ten years old. He and his older brother suffered through it for years before insisting that they move in with their father, Dean. Jeremy hadn't explained much more than that, but it was enough for Catherine to realize the severity of the situation. The only thing she hadn't taken into consideration was Jeremy displaying the same behavior. Another mistake, Catherine thought to herself. She kept thinking that everything about Jeremy's past would remain there, which in all reality, wasn't true and he'd always be struggling against it. Now it was Catherine's turn to figure out a way to keep things from getting worse, talk to Jeremy about everything, and save her marriage.

XXXXX

Ben's condition continued to slowly worsen as he lay in the hospital. Rory and Joel were doing everything they could to find another donor, but it was slow going. So, they continued to visit Ben every morning and then again after work. On this particular day, Ben had requested a cup of coffee during Rory's late afternoon visit, so Rory gladly obliged.

Rory returned after a quick trip to get a cup of coffee and found Ben's hospital room empty. She looked around the room and frowned before turning back toward the door. On her way out the door, she practically ran into a doctor.

"Excuse me. Mrs. Alexander?"

"Yes" Rory breathed.

"I have some news about your son, Benjamin." He said and Rory could literally feel her heart stop as she sank to a bench in the hallway.

_To Be Continued…_


	21. Chapter 21

_Rory sat in the grass of a cemetery slowly plucking blades of grass from the ground. It was surprisingly dry and the sun was shining down on the grave stones, creating a glare that was only blocked by the sunglasses Rory wore. She sighed and looked at the gravestone in front of her. __**Benjamin Wesley Alexander May 5**__**th**__** 2010 – January 21**__**st**__** 2033 Beloved son, brother, grandson, and nephew**__._

_Tears formed at Rory's eyes and slowly slid down her cheeks as she tried to maintain her composure. It had been six months since they lost Ben and nothing had been the same since. Rory couldn't bring herself to plan the funeral, so Lorelai and Catherine did it. Rory stayed in bed all day for several weeks before she could bring herself to face life again. Joel had a terrible time too, but handled it by throwing himself into his work and trying to spend as little time at home as possible. He and Rory barely spoke to each other until about a month after Ben's passing. After much discussion and many hours of counseling, they both admitted that it was just too hard to be around each other without Ben. He was such a part of their lives that they didn't know what to do without him or how to function after the death of a child. Joel and Rory separated, to everyone's shock, about four months after Ben died._

_Ironically, Catherine and Jeremy seemed to be drawn together after Ben's death. Their marriage was stronger than ever and they were expecting a baby. Of course, the baby was unplanned, but they both seemed absolutely thrilled about it. Rory was really upset with Jeremy after Ben died since Jeremy had refused to be a bone marrow donor. In her mind, she blamed Jeremy for Ben's death and really didn't want anything to do with him. However, she was civil to him and spoke to him occasionally at family events for the sake of her daughter and future grandchild._

_Lorelai came to visit Rory once a month and helped Rory begin the process of going through Ben's stuff. One of the hardest decisions was keeping Ben's dog. Rory was never really much of a pet person, but it was comforting to have Ben's dog around. The dog seemed to sense what was going on and stuck close to Rory when she was home. _

_Rory took a deep breath and wiped her faced before touching her hands to her lips and then to Ben's gravestone. "Bye Benny, I love you." She said and stood up. Rory slowly walked back to her car and drove home. She thought about what her life had become in the past several months and shook her head in disgrace. Rory thought about how disappointed Ben would have been to see his parents like they now were. _

_As soon as Rory got home, she went into her bedroom and crawled into bed. She began to sob and pulled the covers over her head in an effort to block everything out._

"Rory, Rory? Rory wake up." Joel said as he grabbed her shoulders. "Rory, what's wrong?" He asked as she began to wake up. Rory looked at him in confusion as she pushed the covers back and quickly clung onto him.

Joel had returned home from work to find Rory taking a nap. He knew the past couple days had been exhausting for her, so he left her alone and went into the kitchen to start making dinner. He stopped and ran into their bedroom when he heard Rory crying. She was tossing and turning and apparently having a really bad dream so Joel quickly tried to wake her up.

"It's ok, it's ok. I'm here. You're ok." Joel assured Rory as she clung onto him tightly. He quickly noticed how much Rory was sweating and crying and pulled the bedding back before taking off his suit jacket and pulling Rory onto his lap. "Rory, it's ok. You're safe." He soothed her.

A few minutes later, Rory calmed down and Joel wiped her face. "I had a horrible dream. I dreamed that Ben died." Rory said between sniffles. Joel inhaled sharply and rubbed Rory's back.

"He's ok Rory. Not a hundred percent, but he's alive and he's going to be ok." Joel insisted. "I know the past couple days have been really rough, but Ben's going to get batter and everything will be ok."

"Ok" Rory agreed and nodded.

"Just relax." Joel said quietly. "It was just a dream. You're totally drenched in sweat babe. How about you hop into the shower and I'll change the sheets?"

"No, stay with me." Rory practically begged.

"Babe, I know you're scared, but it was just a dream."

"It felt real." Rory said quietly.

"I believe you." Joel nodded. "But Rory, it wasn't real." He gently stroked her hair and hugged her for a few more minutes. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"It was awful. I was at the cemetery looking at Ben's grave and then I went home to discover that our lives had completely changed. You and I were separated and didn't really talk because we were both hurting so much from losing Ben. Catherine and Jeremy somehow grew closer together and she was pregnant. My Mom came out once a month to help me, but it didn't seem like the rest of her family was too involved." Rory explained and shook her head.

"That sounds really bad." Joel nodded. "Rory, just so you know, no matter what happens, I'm never going to leave you. I'm confident that Ben is going to be fine, but if he isn't, I promise to work through it with you. I love you and it would break my heart to ever be apart from you."

"I love you too Joeley Bear." Rory said and grinned at him before becoming more serious. "I really don't know what's going to happen with Ben and that scares me, but it does make me feel better that I have you by my side. We've already gone through so much and I know we can go through anything together."

"Ok, that's settled. Now, let's get you into the shower and cleaned up before dinner." Joel smiled.

"You just want to get me naked." Rory joked.

"Can you blame me?" Joel snickered. "My wife is pretty darn hot and I like the nakedness."

"Joel" Rory smiled and playfully hit his chest. She quickly got up and grabbed some clothes before heading into the bathroom while Joel went to finish cooking dinner.

Rory stood under the warm shower spray and closed her eyes as she thought about her dream and the events of the last couple days. It all started to go downhill when Rory returned to the hospital after going out to get coffee for Ben…

Rory returned after a quick trip to get a cup of coffee and found Ben's hospital room empty. She looked around the room and frowned before turning back toward the door. On her way out the door, she practically ran into a doctor.

"Excuse me. Mrs. Alexander?"

"Yes" Rory breathed.

"I have some news about your son, Benjamin." He said and Rory could literally feel her heart stop as she sank to a bench in the hallway.

"Yes" Rory said again.

"Your son's blood pressure dropped and his heart beat was very irregular, so the nurses were alerted. They called me and another doctor in to help get things back to normal." He explained. "I'm very sorry to tell you that things are not looking good."

Rory slumped forward on the bench as she felt the blood draining from her face, leaving it white and a sharp pain forming in her stomach. She didn't hear anything the doctor said for a while until he touched her arm and asked if she was alright.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said." Rory apologized as she looked up at the doctor.

"I was just explaining more about Benjamin, but it's not really important. I'm going to go back into the exam room and see how he's doing. I'll let you know more in a while." The doctor said and stood up. "You may want to call your family and have them come."

Rory nodded and pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed Joel's cell phone number. She could barely speak, but managed to get the right words out and Joel quickly arrived at the hospital. They both sat in the hallway silently until the doctor came back again.

"Mr. & Mrs. Alexander, I'm really sorry, but Ben hasn't improved much. We were able to stabilize his condition, but he had several seizures while we were working on him and his brain was deprived of oxygen. I'm sorry to tell you that he slipped into a coma."

Joel squeezed Rory's hand and clenched his jaw as he looked at the doctor. "When can we see him?" He asked firmly.

"We just took him to the intensive care unit. I'll go check on him and come get you both in a few minutes." The doctor explained and left.

An hour later, Joel and Rory sat next to Ben in the intensive care unit as the doctor finished looking over Ben again.

"How did this happen?" Joel suddenly asked.

"We're not entirely sure, but I believe he had a reaction to a new drug we put him on."

"When will he wake up?"

"I'm not sure." The doctor replied to Joel's question. "It's basically all up to him at this point. We don't have him on anything that will keep him in a comatose state, so it' just up to when his body wants to wake up. To be very honest with you both, it probably won't be any time today or tomorrow. Usually these kinds of comas are the body's way of recovering after a traumatic incident. Once he heals more, he should wake up. Until then, we're going to do everything we can to aid in his recovery."

"Thank you doctor." Joel nodded as the doctor finished his exam and left. Rory had been silent the entire time, her eyes fixed on Ben's face. After a few minutes, the reality of the situation set in and both Joel and Rory finally looked around at the machines Ben was hooked up to, including a breathing tube that had been inserted into his throat. Joel grasped Rory's hand in his and clenched his jaw as he tried to hold out hope for his son.

The next few days brought little change for Ben. He continued to lay motionless in the hospital while Joel and Rory spent the majority of their time with him. Rory called Catherine, but she couldn't get away from school at the time. She promised to make arrangements and come out the following weekend. No sooner had Rory called Lorelai than she was on a plane to Seattle. Lorelai jumped into action when she arrived and made sure Joel and Rory had everything they needed to spend as much time at the hospital as possible. She even took over staying with Ben for an afternoon and evening, so Joel and Rory could have some time alone together. Rory was very grateful, but felt a little guilty for not being at the hospital.

Rory blinked several times as she snapped back to reality and the now cold shower spray running down her body. She turned off the water, toweled off, and put on a comfortable pair of lounge pants and t-shirt. She then joined Joel in the kitchen as he was dishing up dinner.

"You were in there a long time. Everything ok?" Joel inquired.

"Yeah, just got distracted thinking about Ben." Rory answered. "Thanks for making dinner, looks good."

"No problem. It can't be any worse than hospital food." He joked. Rory smiled sadly and sat down at the dining room table as Joel brought their plates. They ate quietly and then cleared the table before heading back to the hospital.

XXXXX

_A few days earlier in Stars Hollow_

"Catherine, what is that?" Lorelai asked as she looked at Catherine's arm. They were doing dishes in the kitchen and Catherine had rolled up the sleeves of her sweater to keep from getting wet.

"Oh, nothing, just fell the other day and hit my arm." Catherine said and rolled her sleeve down.

"Really? You don't really just fall down." Lorelai said skeptically.

"Well, accidents happen." She shrugged and began to wash the dishes faster. Lorelai didn't say anything else, but felt like Catherine wasn't exactly telling the truth.

"Ok" Lorelai reluctantly agreed. "Have you heard anything about your brother? How is he? I haven't talked to your Mom in almost a week."

"I talked to her briefly yesterday. Nothing has changed much. Ben's just getting worse with each passing day and I can't do a damn thing about it."

"It's rough." Lorelai nodded. "Must be hard being so close to him and living on the other side of the country."

"Yeah, sorry, but I'm kind of sick of talking about it. Can we discuss something else?"

"Sure, how's Jeremy?" Lorelai asked before Catherine rolled her eyes. "What? Sore subject?"

"We got into this huge fight yesterday. We both said things we shouldn't have and he left. I haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Sorry Catie. Is there anything I can do to help you? You want to stay here for a couple days until things blow over?"

"Thanks Grandma, but I should probably be home when Jeremy decides to come home." Catherine said before turning back to Lorelai. "Actually, what about a movie night? I have my cell phone, so I'll just text Jer and tell him I'm spending the night here."

"Yay!" Lorelai exclaimed and threw her hands in the hair. "Let's get this done and then go pick out movies!"

Catherine smiled and shook her head before quickly finishing the dishes.

XXXXX

"When's Sam coming back?" Lorelai asked Jenny as they sat in Luke's eating breakfast and sipping coffee. Catherine had also been invited, but she declined and went home to see if Jeremy was back.

"This afternoon."

"Someone's counting the minutes." Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah, being away from Sam for two weeks is hard." Jenny nodded. Sam had taken two weeks off of his regular job to go out on a fishing boat. He had quit going before he and Jenny got married because it was so dangerous, but he wanted to go out with his old buddies for a two weeks trip. Plus, it also allowed him to make a good amount of extra money. Jenny still worried, but knew he really wanted to go, so she didn't object. They had never really been away from each other for that long in a couple years, so Jenny was anxiously awaiting his arrival later in the afternoon.

"Do you have to go anywhere to pick him up?"

"No, he's coming here. The boat is pulling into port this morning and then a couple of the guys are going to drop him off on their way home." Jenny explained. "I wanted to meet him at the dock, but he said that they have some work to do after pulling in. He'd rather wait to see me until he's done and can spend time with me."

"That's good I guess." Lorelai nodded. "Have you been able to talk to him at all while he was out at sea?"

"No. They only had radio contact and were working pretty much nonstop." Jenny sighed. "I'm starting to get impatient."

"I bet." Lorelai said as the bells above the door rang out.

"What? I don't get a 'hello'?" Sam said before Jenny and Lorelai turned around on their stools at the counter. Jenny quickly hopped off her stool and ran into Sam's arms as he dropped his duffle bag and opened his arms to catch her. They held each other tightly for a few minutes until Sam bent down and kissed Jenny.

"You're all scruffly." Jenny said as she touched Sam's scruffy beard that had grown over the past two weeks.

"Scruffly?" Sam joked before smiling. "I don't know think that's a word, but I guess it works. I'm kinda gross actually."

"I take it you haven't showered in a while?" Jenny said as Sam released her slightly, but still held her.

"Yeah, showers are few and far between out at sea."

"Oh my gosh, what happened to your hand?" Jenny gasped as she held Sam's left hand up to see that his thumb was splinted and the rest of his hand bandaged.

"Just a little fishing accident. Happened this morning as we were pulling up the last of the gear. I was pulling up a line and a fish hook went through my hand. The force pulled me back onto the deck of the boat and broke my thumb." He explained and shrugged.

"Ouch." Jenny said and frowned as she continued to look at his hand. She quickly kissed it and then hugged him tightly again. "Does it hurt really bad?"

"Not too bad. After we got off the boat the guys took me to an urgent care place and they patched me up and gave me some pain meds."

"Well, we better get you home then." Jenny smiled and stepped back so Sam could pick up his duffle bag. He also had a small cooler, which Jenny picked up and examined.

"That has some fresh Swordfish. We had a really good catch and the captain gave us all some fish to bring home."

"mmm. That sounds good. Let's grill it tomorrow night and have the family over." Jenny suggested.

"Ok, but why not tonight?"

"Because I've got plans to keep you occupied all night." Jenny smiled mischievously.

"Well, then we better go home right away." Sam smiled before opening the door and ushering Jenny outside before throwing his duffle bag over his shoulder and putting his free arm around Jenny.

Lorelai watched the scene unfold and smiled as they walked away and Luke refilled her coffee cup.

"Since when do we not get a 'Hi Mom and Dad'?" Luke asked and put his hands on his hips.

"Since they're young and haven't seen each other in a couple weeks." Lorelai smiled. "He'll say hi tomorrow."

"I'm glad he came back safe." Luke nodded.

"Me too." Lorelai agreed.

Once Jenny and Sam got back to their house, Jenny began to wash Sam's very dirty clothes as he took a long hot shower. About an hour later, Jenny and Sam lay in bed together, clinging to each other.

"I love you." Sam said and kissed her again. "I really missed you."

"I love you too." Jenny replied. "I hate when you're away for so long. Besides your hand being beat up, did everything go well?"

"Yes, it was a really good trip. It was fun to be back working with the guys and be out at sea again. I think it might be fun to do once in a while, but I'll stick to my regular job for now." Sam said. "I took home some really good money too."

"Good. Anything we can do to save up some money would be really good."

Sam smiled and sighed. "You're such a good saver. I'm so glad you take such good care of our finances."

"Thanks." Jenny said and hesitated for a few moments. "I've got something for you; it's in the drawer of the nightstand."

Sam quickly reached over and opened the drawer to find what looked like a necklace box wrapped up with a ribbon. He was about to open it when Jenny covered his hand with hers.

"Just to clarify, before you open. This is a surprise and something I totally didn't plan, but I really hope you like it." Jenny said and then allowed him to unwrap the box. Sam frowned when he saw what was inside and then looked at Jenny for confirmation. She nodded as he picked up the object and held it up for further examination.

"You're pregnant?" He asked as he looked at the positive test.

Jenny nodded and waited for Sam to process the information. "I took that test and several others last week when you were gone. I went to the doctor yesterday and she confirmed it."

"Really?" Sam asked again.

"Yes, you're going to be a Daddy." She smiled.

Sam quickly put the test down and engulfed Jenny in a hug before peppering her neck with kisses.

"Are you happy?" Jenny asked as they looked at each other.

"I'm really surprised and shocked, but yeah, I'm happy."

"Good." Jenny nodded. "I was pretty freaked out at first, but I'm happy now. It throws a major kink in our plans, but I think this baby is going to be really good for us."

"Baby" Sam smiled. "We're going to have a baby."

"Yeah, in seven months." Jenny answered.

"I just have to ask, how the heck did this happen?" Sam wondered.

"You were there too." Jenny smiled. "I know what you mean though. I went over it several times in my head and finally just asked my doctor because it was bothering me so much. Remember when I had the flu a couple months back?" She asked and Sam nodded. "I went to the doctor back then and got some antibiotics, which I now know, messed with my birth control pills, rendering them ineffective. We were still using condoms, but I guess some of your swimmers got through anyways."

Sam nodded and then smirked as she finished.

"What?" Jenny asked. "Why are you smirking."

"Oh, nothing." Sam lied.

"Oh geez." Jenny said and blushed slightly. "You think you have super sperm, don't you."

"Well, you have to admit that my guys must be pretty good to get through so many obstacles."

Jenny playfully hit his chest and shook her head. "The way men think sometimes."

"Hey, can you blame me?" Sam smiled. "What about school? What do you want to do?"

"I'm not really sure." Jenny said. "I was thinking about taking the year off."

"But it's your last year. Are you sure you really want to do that?"

"I don't really see any other way. I'll see if I can get a part time job until the baby is born. After the baby is born, I'm not really going to be able to go to class, I'll have to be home." Jenny explained.

"I'm here too." Sam suggested. "I'm just as much responsible for the baby as you are. I can see about cutting down my hours at work or working different hours. Maybe you can go to classes during the day and I'll work in the evening and night. We've only got one year of school for you left and then we can work on a permanent arrangement. It might be easier when you get a full time job so we can work with both of our schedules. For right now, I think it would be good if we can find a way for you to finish school. What about finishing early? Can you take some classes this summer and finish your last ones in the fall? I don't really know, but it seems to me that it would be easier to go to school when you're pregnant than with a baby."

"Good point Sam. I'll look into it and talk to my advisor to see what can be done. The baby will be born during fall semester, so maybe I can take that semester off and finish in the spring when we've got a plan worked out. I'd still finish on time that way."

"Yeah that might be good." Sam nodded and kissed Jenny again. "Can we tell everyone?"

"Well, I already told my Mom and I think she told my Dad."

"Really?"

"Yeah, well I was freaking out about it last week and I had to talk to someone before I went crazy. It was probably a good thing you were gone when I found out so you didn't have to deal with that freak out."

"You very rarely freak out."

"I think this was a well deserved freak out. This pregnancy was so not planned and way before we planned to have kids." Jenny said.

"But, it's going to be really great."

"I think so." Jenny agreed. "Let's tell your family tomorrow night when we cook up that Swordfish you brought. Although, come to think of it, I can't eat Swordfish, but that's ok. I'll have chicken or something."

"Ok, tomorrow is the day then." Sam smiled and pulled Jenny close before kissing her.

XXXXX

The next evening, the majority of the Danes family gathered for a family dinner at Sam and Jenny's. Sam was eager to make the announcement, but was disappointed that his Mom wasn't there. Rory had called that afternoon and informed Lorelai of Ben's sudden turn for the worst. She immediately jumped on a plane and was currently on her way to Seattle.

Luke sensed something was bothering Sam and pulled him aside as Will took over cooking dinner.

"What's bothering you Sam?" Luke asked bluntly as the two men sipped beers on the back porch.

"It's no big deal really. There is just something I wanted to tell everyone about, but Mom isn't here so now we have to wait." Sam grunted.

"I'm sure she wanted to be here, but Ben's really sick Sam. I'm not trying to be mean, but I think that's a little higher priority right now." Luke explained.

Sam didn't say anything in response, but just nodded.

"What is it? Everything ok with you and Jenny?"

"Fine."

"Then what's got you in this mood?"

Sam sighed and shook his head. "We just wanted to share some news with everyone, but we wanted to do it when we were all together."

"You can tell Mom when she gets back. I'm sure it won't hurt anything." Luke assured him.

"Fine, I'll just forget about having a nice announcement and just spit it out. Jenny's pregnant. You're going to have another grandchild." Sam huffed and turned away from a stunned Luke.

Luke was completely caught off guard, but put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Hey, congratulations son." He said before Sam turned around and hugged his Dad.

"Thanks Dad. I'm really excited and scared. Don't tell Mom, ok? I want to tell her when she gets back."

"Sure thing Sam." Luke nodded.

XXXXX

Lorelai shifted uncomfortably in her seat on the airplane and tried to ignore the tears that sprang to her eyes. She shook her head and checked her watch to see that the flight was only just half way over. _Another long three hours_ Lorelai thought. The day had started out well, but a call from Rory around noon changed everything. As soon as Rory explained that Ben had slipped into a coma, Lorelai said she would be on the next plane to Seattle without another thought. She actually ran home and started packing immediately before Luke rushed her to the airport. They had probably broken a few laws along the way, but Lorelai only cared about getting to Ben.

"Excuse me, I really hate to bother you, but are you alright dear?" The woman sitting next to Lorelai, who appeared to be about ten years older, asked and touched Lorelai's arm, shaking her from her thoughts.

Lorelai smiled softly and wiped her eyes as she looked at the woman. "I'm ok."

"Sorry, but I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be upset about something. You haven't looked away from that window the entire flight." The woman said nicely.

"I've just got a lot on my mind."

"I'm a good listener." The woman insisted. "My name is Margaret."

"Lorelai" She said and shook the Margaret's hand.

"What's bothering you hun?"

"Well" Lorelai sighed. "I'm actually anxious to get to Seattle. My grandson has been sick for a while and my daughter called earlier today to say he had taken a turn for the worst."

"I'm very sorry Lorelai." Margaret said and took Lorelai's hand in hers. "It must be very difficult to have a sick little boy all the way across the country."

"Yes, but he's not really very little. He's twenty-one."

"Oh, you look way too young to have a grown grandchild."

"Well, I had my daughter when I was very young." Lorelai shrugged.

"I bet its still hard to see him sick. Do you mind me asking what he has?" Margaret asked gently.

"Leukemia."

"Oh, that's terrible. I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. It's been very hard on the whole family. Especial my daughter and son-in-law. Ben, my grandson, had Leukemia when he was a little boy, so they're not only dealing with it now, but reliving the emotional scars from the past." Lorelai explained.

"I'm really sorry to hear that it's back again. Such a tragedy in a young person. Did you live on the east coast the first time he was sick?"

Lorelai hesitated for a minute before answering the question. "Yes, but I didn't know he was sick. I didn't even know about him at all. My daughter and I had a fight over twenty-five years ago and she moved away without saying goodbye. We reconnected over six months ago and I found out I had a grandson and a granddaughter. Ben got sick again just as I was getting to know him."

"That's unfortunate Lorelai. I'm very sorry for you and you're family. I'll keep your grandson in my thoughts and prayers and hold out hope for a full recovery." Margaret said sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, but thank you."

"Do you have any other grandchildren?" Margaret asked to change the subject.

"Yes, a baby grandson. His name is Jacob and he's six months old." Lorelai said and pulled a picture out of her wallet.

"Very cute." Margaret nodded and handed the picture back. Lorelai thanked her and made small talk for another few minutes until Lorelai leaned back in her chair and fell asleep. She was awoken as the plane landed and took the last few minutes of the flight to gather her thoughts. She didn't know what was ahead of her, but she tried her best to prepare for a worst case scenario.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! Also, as a reviewer pointed out, I had the dates wrong in Rory's dream. I've fixed it now. **

XXXXX

It was well past midnight, but Catherine lay away in her dark bedroom. She lay on her side and clutched Jeremy's pillow to her chest. He hadn't been home in three days and she had no idea where he was or who he was with. Part of her cared, but part of her didn't. Jeremy had hurt her and she wasn't ready to forgive him yet. In his absence, Catherine's mother had called and told her about Ben's worsened condition. Catherine really need someone to talk to and had hoped Jeremy would return, but he hadn't and it didn't look like he was going to any time soon.

Catherine sighed and let go of Jeremy's pillow as she rolled over and stared at the ceiling in the dark room. She felt numb. At the same time she felt completely overwhelmed by her emotions. Fear and sadness gripped her every time she thought of Ben and how little she could do for him. Anger at Jeremy also resided within her. Catherine was confused about Jeremy. She couldn't tell if he had changed since they'd gotten married or if she just chose not to see who he really was until now. Catherine knew he was trying to deal with his past, but she hadn't expected it to affect their marriage so much. If Catherine was really honest with herself, she would've admitted sooner that being married was nothing like what she had imagined. She felt guilty for the feelings of regret she secretly harbored for marrying Jeremy before they really knew each other.

"It's all a huge mistake." Catherine whispered out loud. She should have never jumped into a relationship with Jeremy and listened to what her family had said. If she would have just dated Jeremy longer, maybe they would have worked their problems out. Then again, maybe she still wouldn't have discovered the true Jeremy until later. She just couldn't tell if she hadn't seen his dark behavior coming or if he had hidden it. Either way, it was too late now and she'd have to figure out a way to make her marriage work or find a way out.

The thought of giving up on her marriage made Catherine's heart hurt. No one would ever call her a quitter, but she sure felt like one right now. At the same time, she also wanted to consider her own happiness and well being. Jeremy's physical violence really scared Catherine, yet she had found ways to justify his behavior. That also scared her and she didn't know how to stop the violence or how bad it would get. She sighed and tried not to think about it too much or she knew she'd go crazy.

Catherine finally gave up on her battle for sleep and rolled out of bed. She pulled on one of Jeremy's sweatshirts and walked out to the living room, flicking the lights on in the process. She sat on the couch and picked up a book she was reading for a Russian History class she was taking. Somewhere around the Bolshevik revolution Catherine fell asleep still clutching the book tightly.

When she awoke in the morning, she was greeted with the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen. She hadn't remembered setting the coffee pot last night, which meant only one thing: Jeremy was home. Catherine jumped off the couch and looked for him in the kitchen. Not finding him there, she walked down the short hallway to their bedroom and smiled slightly when she saw him face down in bed, fully clothed. She quickly got into bed next to him and snuggled closer before he rolled over and looked at her with bloodshot eyes.

"Hey" Catherine smiled and quickly kissed him. "I'm glad you're back."

"Mmmm. Yeah, but we need to talk." Jeremy said with a scratchy voice. "Coffee?"

"Yeah, it's done. How hung over are you?" Catherine asked and propped herself up on an elbow.

"About as much as I look." Jeremy said and sat up in bed before groaning. Catherine quickly sat up and retrieved two cups of coffee from the kitchen. Jeremy thanked her and drank a few sips before Catherine tried to talk to him.

"Are you ok? Anything I can do?" She asked gently.

"Cate, I'm really sorry, but this just isn't working. I don't think we should continue living a lie."

"What do you mean Jeremy? I know we've had some issues, but we're working on it. Everything will be ok, you'll see." She insisted.

"I can't just pretend that the fundamental problems in our marriage aren't there and just put on a happy face. That's not going to solve anything."

"And running away from me for days is?" Catherine scoffed.

"I just needed space. I had to figure this out."

"Jeremy, we're married. You can't just walk out on me whenever things get tough. We're supposed to work it out together and talk to each other." She said and looked down at her coffee cup. "I really needed you and you weren't here."

"What could you possibly need that you couldn't take care of? You couldn't reach something on the top shelf in the kitchen." He said coldly.

"No. My brother went into a coma while you were gone. It doesn't look good." She said and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Oh, I'm really sorry Catie." Jeremy quickly said and pulled her into a hug. He held her tightly for several minutes before starting to kiss her neck. As he become a bit more aggressive, Catherine pushed him away.

"Not now Jeremy."

"Come on Cate. It's been weeks."

"You have terrible timing sometimes. I just told you my brother might be dying and you think that's a great time to have sex?"

"I thought you wanted me to comfort you."

"I do, but you do that by holding me and telling me everything will be alright. Not trying to get my clothes off."

"See, I can't do anything you want." Jeremy huffed and threw his hands in the air. He stood up and started to leave before Catherine grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I'm sorry Jeremy. Please don't leave again." She practically begged.

"Ok, fine." He reluctantly agreed. "But things are going to have to change."

"Ok, I think that would be good." Catherine nodded.

XXXXX

Joel sat outside early in the morning just as the sun was coming up, sipping coffee and thinking about Ben. He coughed and cleared his throat, but a few tears fell from his eyes anyways. He quickly wiped them away and drank another sip of coffee.

"Joel?" Lorelai asked, startling him. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you. I woke up and couldn't fall asleep again so I came to the kitchen for coffee and saw you out here. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I couldn't sleep either." Joel said.

Lorelai sat next to him and put her arm around his shoulders before Joel completely broke down and started openly crying. Tears fell rapidly from his eyes as he leaned forward, put his arms on his knees, and hung his head. Lorelai didn't say anything and slowly rubbed his back until he slowly calmed down and sat back up.

"Sorry about that." Joel said after clearing his throat.

"It's ok Joel." Lorelai assured him. "You've got a lot going on right now and you just need to let it all out. Have you and Rory had a chance to talk about everything?"

"Not really. We're really just trying to get through it."

"You two really should talk. I think you'll both feel a little bit better." Lorelai suggested before looking up to see that the sun was starting to rise about the city. "You have such a beautiful home here Joel. I'm always amazed at how the beauty of this city just takes my breath away."

"Me too. That's one of the reasons we bought this house. Rory and I feel in love with the view." Joel said. They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Rory came outside wearing her running clothes.

"Hey" Rory greeted them and kissed Joel. "You're both up pretty early. Want to join me for a run?"

"Ha" Lorelai scoffed.

"No, but thanks anyways. I'll work on having breakfast ready when you get back."

"Ok" Rory nodded and took off on her run.

"I guess that's my queue to start cooking." Joel smirked.

"Yeah, get in the kitchen woman." Lorelai laughed.

"Rory and I so don't follow traditional roles in marriage." Joel smiled and stood up before they both walked back into the house. "I think we're better off this way. Less work for both of us if we just work together rather than assigning tasks."

"I think I've said this before, but you and Rory totally rock as a couple." Lorelai said.

"Uh, thanks." Joel laughed. "That's a really weird way to say it, but I'll take whatever compliments I can get."

By the time Rory returned from her run, Joel and Lorelai had finished preparing breakfast and sat at the kitchen table waiting for her.

"Aww. You guys waited for me." Rory smiled and sat down with them. "Pardon my sweatiness. I'd go shower, but then the food would be cold."

"I'm used to the sweatiness." Joel smirked.

"Ok!" Lorelai said and held her hands up.

"Sorry Mom." Rory blushed. "We'll try to keep it clean."

"That's all I'm asking." Lorelai smiled and began to eat her breakfast. "I swear, you and your siblings have such dirty minds sometimes. I don't know where you all get it from."

"Um, hello miss 'I-use-the-word-dirty-after-everything'." Rory laughed. "If anyone taught us that it's you."

"I've been nothing but a shinning beacon of modesty and honor." Lorelai said and held her head high for a few seconds before laughing and continuing to eat.

The light hearted breakfast was the last for a while as the reality of Ben's situation sank in. Lorelai spent almost a week in Seattle before returning home. She wanted to stay, but Rory insisted that she and Joel would be fine and that Lorelai should get back to the family in Stars Hollow. Abby stepped up in Lorelai's absence and did her best to help Rory and Joel. She felt completely inept at doing anything in the hospital, so she focused her time on running errands and cooking meals.

A month passed and as Ben continued to lay in a coma, a shadow was cast over the family. Rory and Joel operated in a constant state of numbness as they went about their daily lives. Everything in their lives suffered; their health, work, even their marriage. Once a vibrant loving couple who talked constantly, anyone looking at them now would see shells of their former selves. Of course, no one blamed them for who they had become. Others wondered how they managed to continue living at all.

Rory visited Ben every day, no matter how busy her schedule was. She'd drastically reduced her hours at the paper and was mainly just a guest writer now. She often brought her homework and papers to grade when she visited Ben. She would read her homework to Ben and once in a while read a really good paper that one of her students had written.

She brought things from Ben's room, so he'd be comfortable when he woke up. After while in the hospital, Rory noticed that Ben's facial hair had grown into a short scruffy beard. She was a little surprised that she hadn't noticed it until then or that no one from the hospital staff had said anything about it. Rory decided that she'd take matters into her own hands and brought Ben's electric razor with her. She knew that Ben liked to keep a clean cut appearance and would have asked for a razor as soon as he awoke, so she decided to take care of it.

"Ok Ben, I'm going to get rid of this beard for you." Rory explained out loud, just in case he could hear her. "I have to admit that I'm not too good at shaving beards. I haven't really had any practice. I'll do the best I can now and ask your Dad for some tips later. I'm sure that beard is getting itchy, so let's get rid of it." She said and turned on the razor. It hummed away as Rory carefully held it to Ben's face and began to shave him. She did well until she got close to Ben's mouth and had to navigate around the breathing tube coming out of his mouth. After slow careful movements, Rory finished and turned the razor off. She grabbed a towel and brushed the hairs off of Ben before touching his now smooth jaw line. "There we go. Looks pretty good."

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Joel asked as he entered the hospital room.

"Just giving Ben a shave." Rory said as Joel walked up to Ben's bed.

"Looks good." Joel agreed and sat down next to Ben. "Anything new today?"

"No. No change." Rory sighed and put the razor away before sitting next to Joel. He also sighed before taking her hand in his and then reaching out to hold Ben's hand. They sat together in silence until a nurse came in to check on Ben. She did a quick exam and made small talk with Rory and Joel before leaving them alone again.

"When is this going to get better?" Joel asked with a hint of frustration on his voice. "It's been a month and he's just lying there. I don't understand why his doctors can't try a new treatment or find a donor. Should we be looking at getting new doctors?"

"I have no idea. I thought we had the best, but I don't really know why all of this is happening. All I know is my precious baby boy is lying in a hospital and there's not a damn thing I can do about it." Rory said sadly.

XXXXX

Rory closed the book she was reading in bed and set it on the nightstand. She looked at Joel as he lay on his side facing away from her before she reached over and turned the lamp off. Rory slid down under the covers and turned on her side, facing away from Joel. She sighed before closing her eyes and attempting to fall asleep.

The last couple weeks had been especially rough on Joel and Rory. Everything with Ben had been almost unbearable and was putting a strain on their marriage. Instead of leaning on one another and working together, they didn't talk about what was really bothering each of them and kept their feelings inside. Every aspect of their lives had been affected. Once a very affectionate couple, they rarely kissed or were as physically close as they used to be. They even slept apart instead of snuggling like they used to.

"Rory" Joel mumbled and rolled over.

"mmrr?" Rory groaned, but didn't move.

"I can't sleep." Joel said and snuggled up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Joel, I'm not really in the mood." Rory sighed.

"Just stay close." He mumbled and yawned.

"Joel, give me some space." Rory insisted and peeled his arm from her waist.

"Come on Rory. I'm used to snuggling at night. I can't sleep and I'm exhausted. Just tonight." Joel said while pulling her closer to him.

"No Joel." Rory said and quickly removed herself from his grasp and got out of bed.

"I just want to be close to my wife" Joel said coldly. "I'm sorry if that upsets you."

"I'm going to sleep in Catherine's room." Rory stated and left their bedroom. Joel sank back into the bed and groaned.

A few minutes after Rory had settled into bed in Catherine's room Joel came in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Rory" He said and touched her shoulder. "Rory, we need to talk about this."

"Joel, not now" Rory said.

"Rory, we can't keep turning away from each other." Joel insisted. "I know you don't want to talk, but that's exactly why we need to. See, every time we face a challenge in our lives we each have a different reaction. I tend to internalize everything, but also really want to be close to you during those times. I don't necessarily want to spill my emotions, but I just want to be physically close. It sounds kind of girly, but that physical touch comforts me and makes me think that everything is going to be ok." Joel explained and took a deep breath as Rory sat up in bed and reached for his hand. "From my point of view, you tend to also internalize your feelings, but you want to be left alone to sort it out by yourself. I get that you need some time to think and work it out, but I feel alienated in the process. I'm not asking you to change how you process things, but could you please just include me more? I feel like we're being ripped apart."

"I'm sorry Joel. I'm not trying to be distant." Rory said and rubbed his hand between her own. "Ben's sickness is completely breaking my heart and I just don't know how to deal with it."

"It's breaking my heart too Rory." Joel said and hugged her as they both began to cry.

"I'm so scared we're going to lose him." Rory admitted through her tears.

"Me too." Joel agreed and hugged her tighter. They wiped each other's tears before lying down on the bed and holding each other.

"He's got such a bright future." Rory said. "It's not fair that he's sick now. What did he ever do to anyone? What did any of us do to anyone? I know I've made mistakes in the past, but I've taken the punishment for that. Ben's got a whole world out there just waiting for him. I want to see him graduate from college, fall in love, and have a family."

"I know Rory. I want those things too." Joel said and pulled her still closer.

"Is this close enough for you?" Rory joked as they both struggled to fit onto the twin seized bed.

"Perfect" Joel answered and kissed her.

"It seems as if my dream is coming true." Rory said sadly.

"Rory, that dream doesn't define you. It's only true if you allow it to be. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here and I want to be with you and I want us to get through this together." Joel insisted.

"Ok, I'm sorry for being so distant." Rory apologized.

"I'm sorry too." Joel admitted. "Want to be my friend again?"

"Always"

XXXXX

**AN: Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter was ok. I had a hard time expressing all the emotions the characters were experiencing. The next couple chapters will have more drama/action. **


	23. Chapter 23

Patrick walked into the kitchen of the Dragonfly in search of a cup of coffee with Jacob strapped to his chest in a baby carrier. Sookie let out a squeal of excitement upon seeing them, earning a groan from Patrick.

"Someone crabby today?" Sookie asked as Patrick poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Yes, we both are." Patrick explained. "Jacob wouldn't sleep for more than two hours at a time last night."

"Ah, I remember those days." Sookie smiled before touching the now sleeping baby's head. "Someone gets to be Daddy's little helper today?"

"Another result of last night." Patrick said. "He screams every time I put him down. I was going to leave him at Mom and Dad's house for the day, but he screamed bloody murder for an hour while I was getting ready this morning. So, he's going to have to hang out with me today."

As Patrick finished his explanation, Martha walked into the kitchen and smiled at Patrick and Jacob before greeting them. Sookie was currently training Martha to take over as the next head chef at The Dragonfly. Sookie had also been trying to set Martha and Patrick up since Patrick was a little kid. Martha was a little older, but only about a year, so Sookie thought they would be perfect together. Much to Sookie's disappointment, neither Martha or Patrick showed any interest in each other, but they were pretty good friends. Now that Patrick had little Jacob, Sookie hoped that Patrick would forget about his former girlfriend and see Martha in a new light. It was a long shot, but Sookie never gave up hope that one day Patrick and Martha would get together.

"Hi Jacob" Martha said as she smiled at the little baby. "Are you both hungry?" She asked Patrick, who just shrugged. "Ok, well, I can make you both some breakfast if you want."

"He can't really eat real food." Patrick said before Sookie and Martha chuckled.

"Yeah, I know." Martha laughed. "I can make you real food and Jacob some baby food."

"You know how to make it? You don't just buy it?" Patrick frowned.

"Yeah, it's pretty simple actually. You just puree fruits and veggies. It's much better for babies than the store bought stuff."

"Oh, I didn't know. Maybe I should learn how to make it then." Patrick said.

"I could teach you sometime if you want." Martha offered.

"That would be great. Maybe this coming weekend? I gotta make sure Jay has the best of everything, so if that means learning how to make baby food, I'd like to learn."

"Ok, I'll get some produce from my Dad and come over to your place Saturday afternoon?"

"Sounds good to me. Oh, but I'm staying at my Mom and Dad's place. They're helping me out with Jacob for a while." Patrick said and Martha nodded. "Ok, well, I should probably get back to work." He said before heading out of the kitchen.

"I'll whip something up for you guys and call you when it's ready." Martha called after them. Sookie didn't say anything, but smiled to herself before Martha looked at her suspiciously. "What Mom?" Martha asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just excited for your date with Patrick." Sookie snickered as Martha rolled her eyes.

XXXXX

Martha and Patrick stood in the kitchen of Luke and Lorelai's house Saturday afternoon. Patrick wore an apron and was carefully following all of Martha's instructions. As they finished the last batch of baby food, Jacob's cries filled the kitchen via the baby monitor.

"I guess someone is up from his nap." Patrick said and removed his apron. Martha followed him upstairs to the room Patrick and Jacob were sharing. Patrick quickly soothed the baby's cries and changed his diaper.

"You're getting good at the whole Dad thing." Martha complimented him as they walked downstairs.

"Thanks. It's taking a while to get used to, but I think I'm actually enjoying it."

"You didn't think you would?"

"I thought I would someday when I was married and ready to have a kid. Not right when I'm starting a business and just getting out of my parents' house. I also never thought I'd be a single Dad. However, this little guy is pretty cool and I wouldn't trade him for anything." Patrick said. "Here, you want to hold him while I get his food ready?"

"Sure." Martha nodded and carefully took Jacob in her arms. She smiled when he looked at her and giggled.

"He likes you." Patrick said. "He's pretty picky in who he lets hold him, so you must be doing something right. He screams bloody murder whenever Sam or Jonathan hold him. They're both totally freaked out that Jacob hates them." He joked.

"Well, he's pretty cute Pat." Martha said and gently rubbed the boy's back.

"Thanks. Here, why don't you feed him?" Patrick said and handed the bottle to Martha. She cautiously accepted and did her best to feed the baby before Patrick helped her. "It's hard to get the hang of at first. I think it took me about a week before I could feed him without any help."

"Why are we feeding him a bottle when we just made all that baby food?"

"Jacob still likes a bottle after his nap. I've been giving him baby food at other times of the day." Patrick explained before Jacob pushed the bottle away from his mouth and spit up on Martha. "Oh, sorry." Patrick apologized and grabbed a rag for Martha.

"It's ok." She smiled.

XXXXX

"Hi Rory." Dean said as Rory answered the phone.

"Dean." Rory said trying to cover up her uneasiness at his phone call.

"Look, uh, I'm sorry to call you like this." He began. "But, I talked to Jeremy and heard about Ben. I'm going to get tested to see if I'm a good match for a donor. I want to help."

"Dean, you don't have to do that."

"I want to Rory. I don't really know anything about the donor process, but if Jeremy is a good match than I must be too. Can you connect me with the doctors to make this happen as soon as possible?" Dean asked.

"Uh, sure." Rory said. "I don't really know what to say Dean. Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's really not that big of a deal. I'd feel bad if there was something I could do and didn't do it. I guess I'm also trying to make up for Jeremy's unwillingness to help. I'm sorry he's being so difficult." Dean apologized. "I'm sure you'd do the same thing if the situation were reversed."

_Yeah, right._ Rory thought to herself. "Thank you Dean. I'll get you the information as soon as possible."

"Ok, bye Rory."

"Bye" Rory said and hung up her phone. She frowned while thinking about Dean's generous offer. Dean had really become a much greater man than Rory gave him credit for. If the tables were turned, Rory doubted that she'd be so generous to one of Dean's children. If Rory was really being honest with herself, she really only tolerated Dean because her daughter was married to his son. She had no desire to reach out and connect with Dean again, but had found herself merely being civil to him for Catherine's sake. Maybe it was time that she move on and try to be a bigger person herself. Rory never really thought she was one to hold onto the past, but she really hadn't moved on from her old feelings of disgust for Dean. Now she felt bad about that and told herself she'd have to move on. "Joel!" She called out before walking into the living room as he folded up the newspaper he was reading.

"Yeah?"

"I just got a strange phone call." Rory began and snuggled next to Joel on the couch. "It was Dean Forrester. He wants to get tested and possibly donate bone marrow to Ben."

"Seriously?" Joel asked and raised an eyebrow.

Rory nodded in confirmation and let in the information sink in for a minute before continuing. "I'm still not really sure how I feel about it, but I think we should go for it. I feel like we owe it to Ben to do whatever we can to help him get better. If using Dean as a donor will make Ben better, then we have to do it."

"I agree. You know I don't really like Dean much, but that's not really his fault. It's just me being unfair and judgmental for things that happened in the past. However, if Dean is able to help our son, I'm willing to work through all that and give the guy a real chance." Joel said.

"Thank you. That's very big of you. I don't know if I can work through everything I have against Dean, but I'll also commit to making an honest effort at it." Rory agreed. "I don't really understand why he's doing this though. Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy he stepped forward, but I don't understand why. I've been a real bitch to him in the past and wasn't all that nice the last time I sat down and talked to him, so Dean really doesn't have to help me at all."

"I don't really get it either, but I'm really thankful that he is offering to help." Joel nodded and slid his arm around Rory. "Can we contact the doctors first thing in the morning?"

"That's what I was thinking. I'll see how soon we can get Dean tested and then fly him out right away if he's a match." Rory stated.

True to her word, Rory made all the arrangements the next morning and Dean agreed to visit a clinic in Hartford the same day. When it was determined that he was a good match, Dean quickly packed and said goodbye to his family before flying to Seattle. Rory and Joel picked him up from the airport and brought him back to their house to stay until he was able to travel back home.

"Hey Joel, thanks for letting me stay with you and Rory." Dean said as he wandered into the kitchen.

"No problem Dean. We owe you a lot, so this is the least we could do. Words can't really express how grateful Rory and I are to you." Joel said as he stood at the stove.

"Well, you're welcome. I'm glad I can do something to help. Catherine told me a bit about the situation and I just had to see if there was something I could do."

Joel nodded in understanding and stirred the food he was cooking.

"Do you cook every night?" Dean asked.

"Most nights. Just kind of depends on what we've got going on. Rory's at the college four nights a week, so it's usually easier for me to cook something." Joel shrugged.

"I never cook." Dean shook his head. "I'm terrible at it. My wife is a really good cook thankfully or we'd never eat."

"Rory has a class to teach tonight, but she shouldn't be out too late. I guess it's just you and me for a few hours." Joel explained.

"Oh, ok." Dean nodded as Rory walked into the kitchen and kissed Joel.

"Dinner almost ready? I need to head out soon."

"Yes, just need to dish it up and we can dig in." Joel said before Rory quickly helped him and carried it into the dining room. They all made small talk and quietly ate dinner before Rory left for class.

After Dean and Joel cleaned up all the dishes, they sat on the porch drinking beer and looking at the views of the city.

"This is kind of awkward." Dean admitted before drinking another sip of beer.

"What is?"

"Just being here with you, Rory's husband, when I'm one of her ex-boyfriends."

"I guess." Joel shrugged. "Don't think I feel threatened or anything, because I'm not."

"I'm not suggesting anything like that man." Dean insisted. "It's just weird that we're both hanging out together. Rory and I have a complicated past, but I think everything turned out for the best. You and her seem to be really happy together and I'm really happy with my wife, so we both win. Of course, I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger and completely screwed up my first marriage. I think the worst thing is the effect it had on my sons. I wish I was a better father to them when they were younger, but I'm trying to do better now."

"Things don't always go the way we plan." Joel nodded.

"You and Rory have two really great kids."

"I know."

"Catherine has been a great addition to our family, but I hear you don't really think the same way about Jeremy."

"Dean, I think that's not really something we should get into." Joel warned.

"Don't worry. I'm not trying to start anything. I know Jeremy has some stuff to work through before you'll feel that way." Dean said and ran his hand through his hair. "I probably should have done more to help him work through that stuff earlier in his life. I also should have tried to talk him out of marrying Catherine so soon. I think I may have encouraged it more than anything else. I thought she would change him more than anyone else could."

"As a father, I think I can understand that." Joel nodded. "But you have to understand my concern as Catherine's father. I want what's best for her and being in an unhappy marriage isn't it. Did you know that Jeremy hit her?"

"Really?" Dean asked. "I'm sorry Joel, I had no idea it was that bad. I never thought Jeremy would ever hurt her."

"It's not your fault." Joel said. "Jeremy is the one I have a problem with, not you. You're right that it is awkward to be spending time together after everything that has happened. How about we agree to put all that aside and just focus on Ben and what's best for our kids?"

"I can do that." Dean nodded before extending his hand to Joel, who shook it and nodded at Dean. "Speaking of Ben, when can I see him? I'd like to see him before we go through all the donor stuff."

"We can go tomorrow morning. I think the doctors want to meet with you tomorrow morning to get everything ready for the bone marrow transplant."

"Ok, sounds good. I met Ben at Catherine and Jeremy's wedding. Seems like a really great guy." Dean said.

"He's one of the best. It's really unfair that he's sick. I'd take his place if I could." Joel said with a clenched jaw.

"I'm really sorry. I hope I'm able to help."

"Me too."

XXXXX

Early the next morning, Dean, Rory and Joel all went to visit Ben. After sitting with him a while, Joel took Dean to meet with the doctors. They all agreed that moving as quickly as possible was in everyone's best interest. Dean agreed to follow through with his part of the procedure that afternoon.

Later that evening, Dean lay in Ben's bed back to Rory and Joel's house. He was in some pain, but the medication the doctor had given him helped. Rory and Joel stayed at the hospital with Ben as the bone marrow transplant was completed. Abby Danes stayed at Joel and Rory's house to keep an eye on Dean and make sure he was taken care of.

"Dean, can I get you anything?" Abby asked as she entered Ben's bedroom.

"I'm good, thanks Abby."

"Hey, uh, thanks." Abby said and crossed her arms. "Thanks for being this for Ben."

"I'm happy to do it." Dean nodded. "How is everything going with your school? You enjoying college?"

"Oh, yeah, it's going well so far. It's just my first year, so not too intense. I'm certainly challenged in some areas, but I've got a handle on it overall. I really like the social aspects. It's fun meeting new people and going to lots of parties."

"I bet." Dean smiled. "Hey, if you don't mind, could you grab my cell phone? I think it's in the living room."

"Sure" Abby said and returned a minute later before leaving Dean alone to make a call.

XXXXX

Rory and Joel spent most of the night with Ben before returning home to sleep for a few hours. The transplant seemed to have gone well, but would take a few days before the doctors knew if it would bring healing to Ben. As the days passed, Dean healed and went back to Stars Hollow when he was well enough to travel. Rory and Joel thanked him profusely.

Ben's condition improved as the days turned into weeks. The doctors began to discuss when they thought been would emerge from his coma. About two weeks after the transplant, Rory was sitting in Ben's hospital room holding his hand when it twitched. She practically jumped out of her seat before squeezing his hand and urging him to do it again. She quickly called Joel at work and he got to the hospital as fast as he could.

As Rory and Joel each held one of Ben's hands, his eyes began to open. They stood up and leaned over his bed before Joel ran out of the room to get a nurse.

"Ben" Rory said and put her hand on his forehead. "Ben, it's ok. You can wake up now. I'm here and everything is going to be ok."

Ben blinked several times before finally opening his eyes all the way. He looked up at Rory with pain in his eyes as he tried to move.

"Ben, just stay still." Rory said as tears fell from her eyes. "You Dad went to get a nurse. They'll be here soon. Just try to relax. They'll give you something for the pain. Don't worry baby, it will all be ok." Rory insisted while squeezing his hand and leaning down to kiss his forehead. "I'm so happy you're awake." She whispered.

A team of nurses and doctors rushed into the room followed by Joel. Joel rushed to Rory's side and put his arm around her waist while stepping back to allow the team to work. The team worked Ben over before removing the breathing tube and giving him several injections and then leaving the room.

Ben looked around in confusion and tried to talk before Rory and Joel rushed to his side. "Shh. Don't try to talk Ben. You're throat is probably really sore from that breathing tube, so just relax." Rory assured him and held his hand. Ben still tried to talk and move and Joel walked around the bed and held his other hand.

"Ben, calm down bud." Joel insisted and put his free hand on Ben's shoulder. "You're in the hospital Ben. You've been in a coma for a couple months. No one can really give us an answer as to what caused it, but the doctors think it was related to a reaction you had to one of the treatment drugs. You're going to get better now though. Don't worry. You had a bone marrow transplant a couple weeks ago, that's why you're getting better. Your body is healing Ben."

Ben seemed to calm down a little as his Dad explained the situation to him, but was still uneasy. Rory bent over and kissed his forehead again and cupped his cheek with her hand. "I love you Ben. I'm so happy you're awake. You're going to be ok." She said before Ben looked at her and nodded.

Ben stayed awake for a while, but his body was still very weak and he soon fell asleep. Rory watched him intently for a while before she heard her cell phone ring.

"That's your phone." Joel said.

"Oh" Rory said and pulled it out of her purse before answering. "Hi Mom." She said after Lorelai greeted her. "Actually, I have some really great news for you. Ben's awake." She said and held the phone away from her ear as Lorelai yelled and cheered in excitement before alerting the entire Danes household. "Sure, that sounds good, just let me know when you're going to land and I'll pick you up. Ok, bye." Rory said before hanging up the phone and turning back to Joel and Ben. "Ben, Grandma's coming to see you as soon as she can get a flight out. She's going to bring Catherine with her too."

"mmrrph" Ben struggled to speak. He opened his mouth again, but couldn't get his voice to cooperate and grunted in frustration. Rory grabbed a pen and note pad from her purse and helped pen hold the pen. He struggled with it for a minute before grunting in frustration again and dropping his hand to the bed.

"Hey, it's ok Ben." Joel said and put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "I know not being able to communicate has got to be really frustrating, but just relax. You'll be able to talk again soon. Are you in pain or anything? Should I get you something to drink?"

Ben nodded and Joel left to go get water for him. Rory smiled at Ben and continued to hold his hand until Joel returned. Both Joel and Rory helped Ben sit up a bit more before helping him drink a little of the water. Just as they were finishing, Abby wandered into the room and jumped when she saw Ben.

"Oh my gosh! Ben!" She exclaimed and ran over to hug him. "Why didn't anyone call me?" She asked Rory.

"Sorry, he just woke up and we only just called Mom. We would have called you soon, but you're here now." Rory explained. "He's awake!" Rory smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Oh, do you want some coffee Ben? It's been months since you had any." Abby asked after seeing no coffee anywhere in the room. He nodded emphatically, causing everyone to chuckle, before Abby agreed to go grab coffee for everyone.

Rory took a deep breath and sighed as she reached across the bed to hold Joel's free hand. "Everything is going to be ok." She said before looking back at Ben.


	24. Chapter 24

"I'm sorry I've been so crazy recently." Rory said as she snuggled closer to Joel in their bed, resting her head on his chest.

"You're not crazy." He said before gently rubbing her back.

"But I have been very distant from you. I've pushed you away." Rory sighed. "That stupid dream is still bothering me."

"It's been tough to deal with everything Rory." Joel admitted. "I haven't always handled it well either. The important thing is that we're here together and everything is going to be ok. Ben is coming home tomorrow. You're dream isn't coming true."

"I know. I'm so excited and nervous." Rory sighed. "It reminds me of when Ben was born."

"He was so little when he was born. He had to stay a few days in the hospital before we could bring him home." Joel remembered.

"It was torture when they sent me home from the hospital without him." Rory added. "Kind of felt like that today when we left the hospital without him again."

"But they told us he can come home tomorrow."

"I'm worried that he's still not well enough to come home though." Rory worried.

"I know, but he is. If he wasn't they wouldn't." Joel assured her. "He's been doing really well lately. He's better now than when he went into the hospital months ago. Plus, they said we could get a home nurse if we need help."

"Our baby is coming home Joel." Rory smiled. "Even though I'm scared and nervous, I'm really excited to have him back here. We're so blessed that he's healing after all he's been through. We almost lost him."

"But we didn't. We didn't lose him." Joel said firmly. "He's going to be ok and he's going to have a full recovery. I can't help but keep thinking about how fortunate we all are. Sure, we've had our problems and short falls, but we have two beautiful children. That's more than a lot of people have."

"You're absolutely right." Rory agreed firmly and hugged him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Joel said before yawning and kissing the top of her head. "Goodnight babe."

"Goodnight." Rory whispered before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

The next morning Rory and Joel woke up early and went out for coffee before going to pick Ben up from the hospital. It was a very happy occasion for everyone and they practically bounced into the hospital.

"Happy coming home day!" Rory announced as she walked into Ben's room and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Thanks Mom. I'm so ready to get the hell out of this hospital." Ben smiled. "I appreciate everything everyone's done, but I'm getting really sick of this place."

"We're pretty sick of it too." Joel added. "Your Mom went over your room and got it all ready for you last night. She even went to the store and bought all of your favorite foods. You're going to be living like a prince for a while Buddy."

"Thanks." Ben said while looking at Rory.

"You're welcome, just don't get too used to it." Rory joked.

A few minutes later Ben's doctor came and gave him a final exam before agreeing that he could go home from the hospital. He gave Rory and Joel lots of paper work and instructions for Ben's care along with a strict appointment schedule for the next couple months. A few nurses came and gave Rory and Joel supplied for Ben's homecare, including a wheelchair and walker for Ben to use when he regained more of his strength.

"What is that for?" Ben frowned at the walker.

"So you can learn to walk again." A nurse said. "It'll come in handy when you begin physical therapy."

"I'm not an eighty five year old man." Ben frowned again.

"Ben, just relax. No one is going to force you to use it in public." Joel assured him. "Let's just focus on you getting well enough to walk without any sort of assistance."

"Ok, ok." Ben ceded. "Sorry, I'm a little punchy after being in here so long. Can we go home now?"

"All set." The doctor said and had Joel and Rory sign release forms before wishing Ben well and allowing Joel to push him out of the hospital in a wheelchair.

"Freedom" Ben said and threw his hands in the air as they exited the hospital. Rory and Joel laughed at his antics before helping him into the car. The ride home was silent as Ben stared intently at the scenery. He smiled when they drove into the driveway of their house and he practically fell out of the car trying to get inside before Joel helped him.

"Slow down Ben." Joel laughed as he threw Ben's arm over his shoulders and supported his weight as they struggled up the walk way to the front door. Rory quickly helped support Ben's other side as they got to the door. Joel and Rory helped Ben to sit on the living room couch before Joel went to make a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen.

"Here's the TV remote. Do you want to watch any movies or just browse for a while?" Rory asked.

"I'll just browse for a bit. Thanks."

"It's really good to have you home." Rory said and patted his hand before kissing him on the forehead and going to get his things from the car. Joel helped her and soon they were all drinking freshly brewed coffee while watching TV.

"Now this is great." Joel said before setting his coffee down on the coffee table and putting an arm around each parent sitting on either side of him.

"The show?" Joel asked while frowning at the TV.

"No, this…us. Spending time together." Ben said. "The only thing missing is Catherine."

"She'll be home again once the semester ends. She really wanted to be here to welcome you home, but she has a lot going on with school. It's only a couple of weeks and then she is coming out for a week or so."

"Jeremy isn't coming?"

"No. Catherine said he had to work. I guess he's been gone on business a lot lately, so Catherine hasn't even seen much of him." Rory explained.

"Do you think they're ever going to be ok?" Ben asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I talked to Catie when she was here after I woke up from the coma." Ben said. "She was pretty reluctant to tell me all the details, but I made her tell me what was going on with her marriage. If I wasn't too weak to get out of bed, I would have kicked Jeremy's ass. It pisses me off that he treats Catie that way. She doesn't deserve that." Ben said and crossed his arms.

"Hey, calm down man." Joel said. "I feel the same way, but we can't interfere right now. She's working it all out."

"Ok, but if he hurts her again." Ben warned.

"We know." Rory said and squeezed his arm. "Are you still feeling ok? You want something to eat?"

"I'm ok, but pretty tired. I think I'm going to take a nap, if I could get a little help getting to my room."

"Sure thing." Joel nodded and helped Ben to his room. Rory walked ahead of them and pulled the blankets on Ben's bed down and tucked him in before kissing his forehead and leaving the room.

After closing the door to Ben's room, Rory turned around and Joel pulled her into a tight hug.

XXXXX

Rory waited anxiously for the taxi to pull up to her house. Lorelai was coming out to visit Ben again now that he was recovering at home. He'd been doing well the past week and Rory thought it would be good for another visit from Lorelai. Catherine was still too busy with the last week of school to make it out for a visit.

As the taxi finally pulled up in front of the house, Rory walked out to meet her Mom with a warm embrace.

"Hi sweets" Lorelai smiled. "How's my favorite oldest Grandson?"

"He's good." Rory smiled back. "Come on in and see for yourself."

Lorelai gladly followed Rory inside and set her suitcase in the doorway before going in search of Ben. She quickly found him in the living room and sat next to him on the couch before wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Hi Grandma" Ben gasped while trying to free himself from her.

"Sorry, I didn't hurt you did I?" Lorelai questioned.

"No, it's ok." Ben smiled. "Glad you could come out to visit again."

"I'm so happy you're home buddy." Lorelai said and held his hand between both of hers. "You look great."

Ben chuckled and sighed. "I'm ok. Still feel really tired all the time, but the doctor assured me that was normal. It's really weird though. I feel really good mentally, but my body isn't quite up to speed yet; very frustrating."

"Did the doctors give you some exercises to do or anything?"

"Yeah, but it's just so slow going. I'm not used to sitting still or going slower than I want." Ben said. "I think this healing process may be a lesson in patience."

Lorelai smiled before offering to help, "I can help you with some of those exercises if you want."

"You're offering to help him exercise?" Rory gasped as she entered the room with coffee for everyone.

"Hey missy, I can help with some minor exercises. I'm not completely lazy." Lorelai joked.

"Thanks Grandma, but I think I'm ok for now." Ben smiled. "How about we watch a few movies?"

"Excellent idea." Lorelai agreed before walking over to the selves of movies next to the TV. She picked out a classic and started it. She walked back over to the couch and snuggled up next to Ben before he moved his head to her lap. He quickly fell asleep and Lorelai ran her hand through his hair and sighed.

"I still can't believe I have an adult Grandson." She said quietly.

"Well, it's true." Rory said. "I have the sonogram and newborn pictures to prove it."

"How come I've never seen them?" Lorelai wondered. "I've seen a couple that you and Joel have on Facebook, but that's it."

"Really? I thought you'd seen all that stuff a long time ago."

"Nope." Lorelai shook her head.

"I guess I'll have to go get them then." Rory nodded.

"He's so great Rory." Lorelai sighed while touching Ben's head again.

"I know." Rory smiled and went into the office to get the photo albums. She quickly returned to the living room and sat next to her Mom before opening Ben's baby book. Lorelai looked at the pictures in awe as Rory explained each one and the story behind it. As they were finishing up, Ben woke up from his nap.

"What are you two doing?" He asked while slowly sitting up.

"Just 'oohing and ahhing' over your baby pictures." Rory explained.

"Geez" Ben shook his head.

"You were a pretty cute kid Ben." Lorelai smiled. "Can you blame us for wanting to look at pictures?"

"How about we get something to eat?" Ben changed the subject while starting to stand up before he quickly sat back down.

"Whoa. You ok?" Rory asked as she stood up and walked over to stand in front of him.

"I'm fine. Just got a little dizzy from standing up too fast."

Rory held out her hands and slowly helped lift Ben to his feet before he stood in place momentarily. She then helped him slowly walk to the kitchen while Lorelai followed them.

"Pizza sound good?" Rory asked. Everyone nodded and she picked up the phone to order.

"What do you want to drink?" Lorelai asked Ben.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Ben laughed.

"Just making sure." Lorelai shrugged before going to the living room to retrieve their coffee cups.

XXXXX

"Hey Dad?" Ben asked as he and Joel sat outside on the deck.

"Yeah?"

"I kind of feel like I've finally got my mind back after coming out of the coma, but there are still a few fuzzy things I can't get straight. Can you clarify for me?" Ben asked.

"Sure son."

"You and Mom keep talking about a bone marrow transplant. When did that happen and who was the donor?"

"Well, it was after you slipped into a coma, maybe a month or so. You remember before Christmas when Catherine was going to donate?"

"Yes" Ben nodded.

"She wasn't a match, but Jeremy got tested and he was. However, for reasons that none of us really understand, he wouldn't do it. To make a long story short, eventually his Dad, Dean, called and said he would donate since Jeremy wouldn't." Joel explained.

"Wait a second. Dean Forrester?"

"Yes. He just called out of the blue one day and said he'd do it. He jumped on an airplane and flew out to do the procedure as soon as possible. You woke up a few weeks after the transplant."

"Why would Dean do something like that? Seems like a really generous thing to do for someone you don't really know."

"I think he felt bad that Jeremy wouldn't do it." Joel reasoned. "I think Dean's also a little frustrated that Jeremy isn't making more of an effort to make his and Catherine's marriage work."

"I guess I should thank Dean somehow then. He saved my life."

"He did." Joel nodded. "Your Mom and I are very appreciative of everything he's done to help you."

"How can I repay him?"

"I'm not really sure. I think talking to him next time you're in Stars Hollow would be good. Seems to me that a face to face 'thank you' would be a great place to begin. He wouldn't take anything from Mom and me, so I don't think he's after any type of repayment." Joel said.

"Ok, I guess you're right Dad." Ben nodded. "When's the next time we're going to Stars Hollow?"

"I don't know, but we can schedule something when you're feeling better. It's a long flight and I think it's best if we make absolute certain that you're healthy enough for it."

"I'm not a fragile baby." Ben said in frustration.

"Look, I know you're frustrated with all of us for how we've been treating you. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to cut us a little slack on that. There was a time when we thought you weren't going to make it. So, now we're just overly cautious and doing everything we can to make sure you're one hundred percent healed. Ok?"

"Ok, I can understand that." Ben nodded. "Sorry, it's just that this healing process is a little frustrating at times. I feel like it's so slow sometimes."

"Just give it time Ben."

XXXXX

"Who is this 'young man' of Abby's that we're supposed to meet?" Joel asked Rory as they cooked dinner together in the kitchen.

"He's her boyfriend." Rory answered.

"Ok, how long have they being going out?"

"I don't know." Rory shrugged. "Maybe a month at the most. Stop acting like an over protective father. You're Abby's brother-in-law, not her Dad."

"I know, but I still care about her and don't want her dating some jerk."

"Well, you can relax a bit hun. I don't think this guy is a jerk." Rory assured him and kissed him on the cheek. "He's in my class."

"The same one Abby's taking?"

"Yes. This is their second half of the intro to Literature class."

"Why are they taking two semesters of the class? I don't remember Ben having two semesters of Lit." Joel asked.

"They're both English Majors."

"Abby's an English Major? When did that happen?"

"She decided late last fall. She came and discussed it with me in my office and I agreed that it sounded like a good idea. I think that's how she met this young man." Rory explained. "I think his name is David, but I may be wrong. I know it starts with a D. I know for sure that his last name is Schwartz."

"Because you call your students by their last names." Joel remembered.

"I still think it's more respectful that way. If I'm asking him to call me Professor Alexander or Mrs. Alexander, I should treat him with the same respect."

"Makes sense." Joel nodded. "Pretty soon they'll be calling you Dr. Alexander."

"Yes, but not for a while. It's going to take a few years to get my PhD done. But yes, eventually they'll call me Dr. Alexander."

"I like that." Joel smiled.

Rory kissed him again before continuing her explanation. "Anyway, this Mr. Schwartz is a bright student and seems to be a gentleman. He came to my office once last semester to discuss his grade on a paper. He was concerned because he got a C on the paper. It turned out that he just completely misunderstood the assignment. He was pretty embarrassed when he realized it. I figured a C was being pretty nice, but it was a well written paper so I couldn't fail him. Plus, he'd done so well on everything else in the class that I knew something strange must have happened."

"What else do you know about him? Is he one of those frat boys that Abby hangs out with?"

"I'm not really sure." Rory frowned. "I don't think so. He doesn't seem like the type."

"You didn't thoroughly investigate him before Abby invited him over for dinner?" Joel smirked.

"No, I refrained myself." Rory smiled. "I think looking into a student that's dating my sister would be overstepping my limited powers."

"Probably." Joel agreed just as the doorbell rang.

"Come in!" Rory called out.

"Hi!" Abby said as she entered the house with her boyfriend in tow. She took their coats and put them in the hall closet before leading her boyfriend into the kitchen. "Rory, Joel, this is David." Abby smiled as she introduced her boyfriend.

"Nice to see you Professor Alexander, Mr. Alexander." David said before shaking their hands.

"How about we keep things less formal off campus Mr. Schwartz?" Rory smiled. "You can call me Rory."

"Sounds good, Rory." David smiled nervously.

"Mr. Alexander is fine." Joel said with a straight face before laughing. "Joel would be preferred, David. And you can relax a little bit. This shouldn't be as intimidating at meeting Abby's parents. We won't bite, we promise."

"Good to know." David nodded.

"Oh, we're missing Ben." Rory realized and quickly left the kitchen to go get him.

"I've heard a lot about Ben." David said and Joel nodded.

Rory returned with Ben slowly walking and leaning on Rory for support as he held onto her arm. Rory escorted him to the dining room table before David entered.

"Hi Ben, I'm David." He said and shook Ben's hand.

"Nice to meet you David. You must be my new uncle." Ben joked.

"uh, um." David fumbled.

"Just messing with you David." Ben laughed. "I do have to say that if you do ever become my uncle, that I can be bought with gifts."

"I'll keep that in mind." David smiled.

"Ben, stop messing with David." Abby said as she set a salad bowl on the table. "David, can you help carry stuff?"

"Sure thing." He nodded and followed her back into the kitchen.

After everyone had finished dinner, the family sat in the living room sipping coffee.

"So, David, tell us a little about yourself." Rory asked him. "Where did you grow up?"

"Well, I'm originally from Portland, OR, but I came up here for school. My family still lives there and I go back during breaks and long weekends." David said.

"What about your family? Do you have any brothers and sisters?" Joel asked.

"No, I'm an only child. My Mom was seventeen when she had me and I've never met my Father. My Mom raised me by herself without any help from her parents. I don't really know the whole story, but she said they were pretty pissed and threw her out when they found out she was pregnant." David explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That must have been hard for her." Rory said.

"I think it was. She had an older sister and brother-in-law who really helped us out when I was little. Mom said that they were in their mid-twenties at the time and let us stay in their house rent free. Mom always gave them the credit for me not getting into trouble as a kid. She said that without them I would have grown up very differently. I guess she's right. I don't really have any memories of us living with them, but I do remember spending a lot of time at my aunt and uncles place growing up. I just remember living in a pretty decent apartment and having my Mom work a lot as I grew up."

"It's nice that she had someone to lean on." Rory agreed. "Abby's probably told you, but our Mom was really young when she had me and raised me all on her own."

"Yes, Abby told me. Sounds like your Mom is a great lady. I'd really like to meet her someday."

"She is." Abby piped in. "You should invite your Mom up for the weekend sometime." 

"I should." David nodded.

"Are you and your Mom close?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I guess. We're really all each other has, so we stick together."

"Good." Joel nodded. "What does your Mom do now?"

"She's a manager of a hotel in downtown Portland called City Hotel." David said.

"Really?" Rory asked in disbelief.

"Wait, what's your Mom's name?" Joel asked.

"Erika Schwartz."

"Oh my gosh, I've met her before!" Joel exclaimed. "I met her a couple years back at a conference for small independent hotels in the northwest. We had lunch one of the days and have seen each other at the conference every year since. I can't believe Erika is your Mom. I never knew she had any kids, but then again we really only talked about business stuff."

"That's kind of funny that you know her through work." David agreed.

"Abby and Rory's Mom also worked at an Inn in Stars Hollow. She started out as a maid and worked her way up until she eventually bought her own Inn. Abby's oldest brother, Patrick, now runs it and just started his own management company." Joel explained. "Sounds like your Mom and Abby and Rory's Mom have a lot in common."

"Yeah, Abby told me about that. It's a crazy coincidence."

"Certainly is." Ben added. "So, how do you and Abby meet? Abby hasn't told us all the juicy details."

"Well, we were both in Rory's class together." Abby answered. "I usually sit in the middle of the room, but David sits up front, so he didn't really notice me even though I noticed him right away. I was at the coffee shop near campus studying with a couple of girls from class when David came in. I invited him over to join us and I guess the rest is history."

"Oh my gosh." Rory said. "That's the same coffee shop where Joel and I met!"

"Really?" David scoffed. "Is there something about that coffee shop and the women in your family?"

"Now there is." Rory joked. "Wow. That's just crazy."

"I think it has less to do with the coffee shop and more to do with our shared obsession with coffee." Abby clarified.

"I hope you can keep up David." Joel smiled. "They drink a lot of coffee."

"I think I can handle it." David smiled.

"Good man. Thinking positive." Joel said.

About an hour later, David said goodnight to everyone and left for the evening. After he was gone, Rory pulled Abby aside into the kitchen for a discussion of the evening's events.

"I like him." Rory said as she touched Abby's arm.

"Me too." Abby agreed with a big smile. "He's cute, intelligent, sweet, thoughtful, and just a really great guy." She gushed.

"I'm really happy for you Abby. You deserve someone like him."

"Thanks Rory." Abby smiled. "Now I just have to introduce him to Mom and Dad."

"Mom will be happy once she gets to know David. You Dad may be another story though." Rory laughed thinking about Luke allowing anyone to date his daughter.

XXXXX

Lorelai bounced into the diner and sat on a stool at the counter next to Jenny. Jenny had her head down on the counter and clutched a cup of coffee in her right hand.

"Good Morning." Lorelai said happily, but only got a groan in response from Jenny. Jenny suddenly sat up before hopping off her stool and bolting to the back of the diner.

"Luke! Coffee!" Lorelai called toward the kitchen. "You're not Luke." She said as Jonathan came out and poured her a cup of coffee.

"Next best thing though, right?" Jonathan joked after he finished pouring the coffee.

Lorelai drank a sip of the coffee and nodded. "Yup. Don't tell your siblings, but you make coffee that's just as good as your Dad's."

"Wow. High praise." He smirked.

"What's up with Jenny?" Lorelai asked.

"She's been like that all morning. I asked her if she was ok when she got here because she looked a little green. She said it was morning sickness." Jonathan shrugged.

"Oh, poor thing." Lorelai sighed. "I remember those days. Not fun at all. I had morning sickness really bad when I was pregnant with you Jonathan."

"Mom" He groaned, not wanting to hear about the subject.

"Ok, ok." Lorelai gave in. "Speaking of morning sickness though, when are you going to find a nice girl and have babies?"

"Uh, probably never."

"What? Come on Jonathan. You're not going to be single forever."

"Well, maybe I'll find someone eventually, but I'm not in any hurry. I need to finish school and get settled in my career first." Jonathan explained. "Why are you so obsessed with all of us having babies anyway?"

"Because all my babies are grown up." Lorelai said sadly. "I miss having little ones around."

"Patrick's got a 'little one'" Jonathan noted. "Sam's got one coming."

"I know and I'm very happy. I'm just remembering the days of many little ones running around, causing trouble, and getting into things. It was crazy, but I loved it."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have that again at some point. Just be patient."

"No, I want it now." Lorelai playfully pouted.

"What do you want now?" Jenny asked as she slowly sat down again.

"Lots of little grandbabies." Lorelai smiled.

"Ugh. Not my favorite topic right now." Jenny groaned. "At the rate we're going, this baby is going to be an only child."

"Sorry you're so sick." Lorelai said and rubbed Jenny's back. "It will get better, I promise. Plus, once you see that little baby for the first time it will have all been worth it."

"I hope so."

"It will." Lorelai insisted. "Look how cute they turn out too." She said and smiled at Jonathan who groaned and went back into the kitchen. Lorelai laughed at him and yelled "Pancakes please!" while he ducked into the kitchen.

"Sorry, but I may have to cut our breakfast short." Jenny said.

"Why don't you come back to my place? I'll have Jonathan bring over the pancakes when they're ready."

"Thanks, but I can make it back to my place." Jenny smiled softly.

"But who will take care of you? Isn't Sam at work all day?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You really should have someone around. You're not looking too good. When was the last time you ate something?"

Jenny thought for a moment before answering, "I think it was yesterday at lunch. I haven't been able to keep anything down."

"Ok, you're coming with me." Lorelai insisted before standing up and tugging on Jenny's arm. Jenny reluctantly obliged and followed Lorelai out of the diner. Lorelai quickly pulled her cell phone out and texted Jonathan to bring the food over to the house when it was ready.

Once they were back at Lorelai's, Lorelai soon had Jenny tucked into bed in Sam's old room with a cold wash cloth on her forehead.

"Thanks Lorelai." Jenny said while touching Lorelai's hand on her forehead.

"Anytime sweetie. I know exactly how you feel." Lorelai sympathized.


	25. Chapter 25

_Sam yawned and rolled over in bed before he heard the sound of little barefoot feet tip toeing across the bedroom floor. Sam waited anxiously anticipating what he knew was coming. _

"_Daddy?" The little girl whispered and then touched his nose with her small hand. "Daddy?"_

"_Hhhmm" Sam mumbled and slowly opened his eyes to see Evie standing next to the bed looking at him._

"_Why do you sleep so late on Saturday? Mommy doesn't sleep this late?" She questioned. _

"_Because I'm tired." Sam said in response before smiling at her. "What is Mommy doing right now?"_

"_She's drinking coffee and reading."_

"_What's she reading?"_

"_The pink newspaper." _

"_The Financial Times?" Sam asked, but Evie just shrugged her shoulders in response. "I guess we should let her have some time alone then. Come here." He said and lifted her up onto the bed while scooting over to make room for her. Evie smiled and curled up next to her Daddy while he held her in a secure hug. Sam would never admit it to anyone, but Saturday mornings when Evie snuggled with him was his favorite time of the week. He liked spending quiet time with her and knew it would only last for a little while. Eventually, Evie touched his face again and frowned as he looked at her. _

"_Daddy, are you done being tired? I'm ready to eat a big breakfast."_

"_Mommy didn't give you something when you both got up earlier?" He asked. _

"_We both had some fruit, but it didn't fill me up. She said it was a pre-breakfast and that we would wait until you woke up to have a big breakfast." Evie explained. Sam loved how much she took after Jenny, but had also inherited Lorelai's spunk and appetite. Both Evie and Jenny tended to be early rises, while Sam hated waking up earlier than he had to. They both let him sleep in late on Saturday, but Evie always got a little impatient when she was hungry. _

"_Ok, well how about you go play with your toys for a little while and I'll get showered and dressed. Then we can all go to Grandpa Luke's for breakfast."_

"_Yay!" Evie exclaimed and climbed out of bed. She quickly bounded down the stairs and informed her Mom of the good news before running into her room. Sam shook his head and smiled before groaning and getting out of bed. _

_Half an hour later, Jenny and Sam walked hand in hand to the diner with Evie riding on Sam's shoulders. Evie talked about what she was going to order for breakfast the entire walk to the diner and yelled "Hi Grandpa!" When the trio entered the diner. _

"_Hey princess." Luke smiled and lifted her off of Sam's shoulders before giving her a hug. "You want your usual?"_

"_Yes please!" She smiled brightly as she joined her parents at their table. _

_Within a few minutes, Luke brought out breakfast for them and the plates clunked onto the table. _

Sam jumped and sat up in bed, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on. He looked around for a minute to notice that the bedroom looked almost the same. He quickly got out of bed and walked down the stairs to find Jenny reading a newspaper.

"Good Morning." She said and set the paper aside.

"Morning" Sam mumbled as he walked passed her and into the guest bedroom across from the kitchen. He frowned when he noticed it wasn't a little girl's room, but a guest room.

"What are you looking for?" Jenny called to him.

"Nothing." Sam said and joined her on the couch in the living room. She smiled softly and took his hand in hers as she rested her other hand on her small slightly visible baby bump. Sam sighed and said, "I had a really crazy dream. I dreamed that we had a daughter. She was about four or five years old and the cutest little girl; she looked so much like you. In my dream she woke me up on a Saturday morning and then we snuggled together for a while before going to Luke's for breakfast."

"Sounds like a pretty realistic dream."

"It felt so real. The guest room was her room, so I had to go see if it really was a dream or not. Her name was Evie." Sam said quietly.

"Evie? Interesting, but I like it. Short for anything?"

"Evelyn, I think." Sam shrugged.

"I wonder what your dream has to do with this baby? Maybe it will be a girl and you can have your little Evie." Jenny smiled. "Or maybe you've just inherited the crazy dream gene from your Mom."

"That's probably the case." Sam smirked.

XXXXX

Ben tapped his fingers on his laptop while he waited for Catherine to join their video chat. He was getting a bit sick of everyone hanging around the house bothering him, so he sent Joel and Rory out for a dinner date. Lorelai had left the day before after spending a week with the family. Ben loved having everyone around, but he was feeling a bit smothered. He was able to get around the house pretty well using a walker or leaning on his Mom or Dad for support. He was going to physical therapy twice a week and making good progress toward being independent again.

Just when Ben was running out of patience, Catherine logged in and waved at him as she appeared on the screen.

"It's about time." Ben grunted.

"Geez. Someone's grouchy."

"Sorry. I'm getting a little stir crazy around here and it's made me cranky."

"It's ok Ben. I bet you're going mad being cooped up in the house all the time." Catherine said. "Sorry I haven't been able to make it out to see you yet. Everything has been so crazy around here."

"Well, I appreciate you taking a break from the craziness. How is finals week coming along?"

"Busy, crazy, and exhausting. I've only got two exams left though. One tomorrow afternoon and one on Friday."

"How do you think you did on the ones you took already?"

"It's hard to tell on one and the other went well."

"I'm sure you did great." Ben smiled.

"Why do people always say that?"

"Because you've always gotten good grades even while you've been at Yale."

"I guess it's just been a hard semester for me." Catherine sighed.

"Classes harder?"

"A little." Catherine said and paused before telling the truth. "Actually, all the drama between me and Jeremy is what's really affected my studies. I don't always have the focus that I used to."

Ben shook his head and sighed. "You know how I feel about him."

"Ben." Catherine warned him. "He's my husband and I love him. It's just going to take us a while to figure out how to meld our two lives together. The first year of marriage is the hardest and it's been especially hard for us because we didn't really know each other very well when we got married. In retrospect, we probably should have waited and know each other more, but we can't take that back now. I'm doing my best to be a good wife, Ben."

"Is he trying as equally hard to be a good husband?" Ben frowned. "I heard about the drugs and drinking. How is that adding to your marriage?"

"It's not that simple Ben. Jeremy's trying. He really is. Just believe me on that, ok?"

"Ok" Ben sighed. "I just want you to know that if he does anything to hurt you, I'm personally going to kill him."

"You've said that about a million times."

"And the threat hasn't stopped him from hitting you. What's going to make him stop that?"

"That wasn't entirely his fault."

"Catie, you can't seriously be taking the blame for that!" Ben huffed. "There is no way you did anything that deserved that. Nothing."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. Jeremy apologized about a million times and promised never to do it again. It's all ok Ben." Catherine assured him.

Ben nodded, but didn't say anything. He knew it wasn't a good sign that Catherine believed Jeremy, but he didn't want her to be upset with him for interfering. "When are you going to come out to visit?" Ben changed the subject.

"After finals. I honestly can't really focus on it now, but I'll book a ticket as soon as I'm done on Friday."

"Ok, that's fair. I guess I should let you get back to your studies so you can rock your finals."

"Thanks Ben." Catherine smiled. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye" He nodded and turned off the video chat. Ben crossed his arms and sighed. He hated interfering in Catherine's marriage, but he just didn't like where he saw her and Jeremy heading. Knowing there really wasn't anything he could do, he shrugged and slowly stood up and hobbled to the kitchen to get a bowl of ice cream.

XXXXX

Rory finished making coffee and breakfast in the kitchen before she slowly wandered down the hall to Ben's room. Madelyn was visiting, so Rory had made something special for them and was surprised that Ben wasn't awake yet. With Ben going stir crazy and decided it was finally time that Madelyn come visit. She'd been practically begging to see him since he woke up, but he wanted to be well first. However, with Ben beginning to mope around all day, Joel and Rory suggested he go ahead and invite her for a weekend visit.

Rory knocked lightly on the door to his bedroom and slowly opened the door.

"Hey Ben" She said before her eyes went wide and she yelped "Oh my gosh!" at the sight of a naked Madelyn lying on top of a naked Ben with the sheets only covering their lower halves.

"Mom!" Ben shouted and tried to pull the covers over himself and Madelyn. She blushed and buried her face into Ben's chest while groaning. "Mom, can you leave us for a sec." Ben asked as Rory stood there motionless.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I'll be in the kitchen." She said and closed the door behind her. Rory shook her head as she walked to the kitchen and then poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat at the kitchen table until Ben walked in wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"Mom" He nodded before pouring himself a cup of coffee and sitting down across from her at the table. "Madelyn is taking a quick shower and then she'll join us."

"Sorry for just walking in on you." Rory said while looking down at her coffee cup.

"I should have locked the door." Ben nodded.

Rory nodded and took a deep breath before wincing and slowly asking, "Ben, I don't know if I should be asking this or not, but are you allowed to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Have…sex." Rory grimaced. "Did you talked to your doctor and make sure you're healthy enough for that?"

"Yeah." Ben shifted uncomfortably. "Doctor said it was fine as long as it's not too crazy."

"Ok, I don't need details." Rory agreed. "Not that you're not old enough to make those choices, I just worry about your health. I know we talked about all this stuff before, but you have been using condoms, right?"

"Uh, yeah, we did last night." Ben said and shifted in his seat again.

"What? You weren't using condoms before?" Rory snapped.

"There wasn't a before." Ben said. "For either of us."

"Oh." Rory said quietly. "Oh, Ben, I guess I just assumed. Wow, ok, so last night was your first time." Rory nodded and took a deep breath. "And you thought your childhood bedroom was a romantic spot?"

"Mom" Ben groaned. "It was more about having not seen Madelyn for a long time and knowing that she was the one."

"Well, I guess-" Rory said and then suddenly stopped as she realized what Ben had said. "You think she's 'the one'?" Rory asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah." Ben nodded and blushed slightly. "I know you probably think it's crazy and that we haven't known each other all that long. I agree, but I just have this feeling and I can't help but think she's the one I want to be with for the rest of my life."

"Wow. That's just wow." Rory smiled.

"I know, but don't worry Mom. We're not going to jump into anything right away. We have a lot of stuff to figure out before we talk about marriage. Like the whole living on opposite sides of the country thing."

"That's probably a good idea." Rory smiled. "So, this is kind of awkward, huh?"

"uh-huh." Ben nodded. "This coffee is good." He said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Do we ever have anything other than good coffee around his house?"

"Don't think I've ever had a bad cup here."

"You're very lucky to have grown up with great coffee, Ben." Rory joked. "Not all kids are so fortunate."

"Yes, I know." Ben said solemnly. "Hey Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for not completely freaking out about me and Madelyn."

"You're welcome. I can't say I'm completely comfortable with the situation, but I was young once. I wish I hadn't seen that, but I'll survive. Just don't make it a regular occurrence or at least lock the door." Rory smiled. "For some reason we seem to have issues with locking doors in these situations in this family. In the last year your Dad and I have been caught in similar situations by your Grandma Lorelai. Let's just say that Grandma saw way more of Dad's butt than she ever wanted to see." Rory giggled.

"Gross Mom." Ben said and scrunched up his face in disgust. "I'm going to see if Madelyn is out of the shower." He said and quickly got up from the table.

"Sure you are" Rory whispered and smirked before beginning to eat her breakfast.

XXXXX

Catherine just finished her last final exam for spring semester and dropped her book bag near the front door of the apartment. She was completely exhausted and just wanted to crash into bed and sleep for a week. She yawned and slowly started to walk toward the bedroom while looking around to see if Jeremy was home. Finals week had been so busy that she'd barely seen him and couldn't remember if he had the day off or not. As she walked down the hall she noticed that the bedroom door was closed, which was odd considering it was the middle of the afternoon. Catherine slowly turned the door knob and opened the door before looking up and stopping in horror. Jeremy was lying in bed while a naked skinny blond straddled his waist. Jeremy's eyes widened as he saw Catherine and he quickly pushed the blonde off of him and covered her with the sheets.

"Cate, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I think the more important question is what the hell is she doing here?" Catherine said with anger in her voice as she pointed to the blonde.

"You don't understand. This isn't really what you think." Jeremy tried to explain.

"Oh, so you two aren't having sex. Oh, ok. You're both naked in our bed, but it's no big deal." Catherine frowned and crossed her arms.

"Cate, come on." He said and quickly got out of bed, pulled on his boxers, and started to walk over to her as Catherine shook her head and walked out of the bedroom. Jeremy called after her, but Catherine practically ran out of the house and down to her car. She fumbled with her purse for a minute before pulling the keys out and driving toward Stars Hollow. By the time she reached Luke and Lorelai's house, tears were streaming down her face. She trembled as she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. After a couple minutes, Luke answered the front door and frowned when he saw Catherine.

"Catie, what's wrong?" Luke asked before Catherine began to sob and fell into his chest. He quickly pulled her inside, shut the door, and hugged her tightly. "What's wrong? Did something happen to your parents or your brother?" Luke asked with concern in his voice.

"He..He…" Catherine said through her sobs.

"Catherine, you need to calm down a little and tell me what's wrong." Luke insisted while trying to look at her face.

"Jeremy" She spat out. "He…He…another woman." She said and continued to cry against Luke's chest.

"What? He cheated on you?" Luke fumed and Catherine nodded in confirmation. "That little son of a bitch. I'll kill him!"

"Luke, what's going on? Catherine?" Lorelai asked as she casually walked into the entryway.

"Jeremy cheated on Catie!" Luke huffed.

"What?" Lorelai gasped. "Oh, sweetie" Lorelai said and quickly pulled Catherine from Luke and into a tight hug. Luke huffed and threw his hat on the floor before quickly storming out the front door and driving off in his truck.

"Hey, what's going on?" Adam asked as he also wandered into the entryway.

"Jeremy cheated on Catie." Lorelai whispered to him as Catherine continued to cry on Lorelai's shoulder.

Adam looked like he was about to explode with anger, but he took a deep breath and rubbed Catherine's back slowly while trying to control himself.

Catherine took a few shaky deep breaths before pulling away from Lorelai. "Thanks Adam" She said and gave him a quick hug before walking into the kitchen. "I need coffee" She said as Lorelai and Adam followed her. After pouring herself, Lorelai, and Adam a cup of coffee Catherine slowly sipped it as she stood opposite of Lorelai and Adam as they sat on barstools at the kitchen counter. "I can't believe this." She finally said. "I came home from my finals and Jeremy was screwing some blonde bimbo in our bed." She informed them. "I don't know what was worse, the fact that he was doing that or that he tried to cover it up and make excuses."

Lorelai was about to say something, but little Jacob started crying upstairs. "Sorry, I'll be right back. Patrick's at work, so I'm on baby duty."

"Are you ok?" Adam asked and shook his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. Of course you're not ok."

"It's fine Adam." Catherine said and shrugged. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"Finished last week. I was going to stay and work all summer, but Chelsea decided to come home for the summer." Adam explained. "I think Patrick will let me help him out at the Inn, so it should all be fine."

"You two seem pretty serious." Catherine observed.

"Yeah, I guess." Adam shrugged. "Hey, we don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

"No, anything to get my mind off what happened today. I just don't want to think about it for a while." Catherine said and shook her head. "Now, tell me all about Chelsea."

Adam blushed slightly and looked down at his coffee. "She's pretty amazing actually. She's smart and beautiful. We're both studying psychology, so we get to spend a lot of time together."

"You love her?"

"Yeah" Adam admitted.

"Ok, here we are." Lorelai said as she walked into the kitchen swaying with Jacob in her arms. "Someone is hungry." She said and went to the refrigerator.

"Hey, how's my little cousin?" Catherine said as Lorelai handed him to her. "He's getting bigger every time I see him."

"Yes, he is." Lorelai agreed.

"Ok, well, I'm going to go upstairs and crash in Abby's room if that's ok." Catherine said.

"Yeah, sure go ahead. Yell if you need anything." Lorelai called after her as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Sorry, but what the hell just happened?" Adam asked after Catherine had been gone for a few minutes.

"I'm not really sure either." Lorelai said as she fed Jacob. "I think she's still in shock. I'm sure it'll all hit her in a little bit."

"Man, I seriously want to go pound that Jeremy guy for what he did." Adam said through a clenched jaw.

"I think that's where you Dad is right now, so I'm sure he's got it covered." Lorelai joked. "I'm not really sure what we should do in all honesty. I guess we just follow Catie's lead."

"Ok" Adam frowned. "You know, I actually liked that Jeremy guy before he did this. Patrick and Will gave him a bad rap, but I liked Jeremy from the beginning. Now I feel like a complete fool for ever trusting him. What he did to Catie is unforgivable."

"I agree." Lorelai nodded. "You're a really great guy Adam. You care about this family so much and are fiercely protective of us all. I don't say it enough, but thank you."

Adam just nodded in response before Lorelai attempted to hand Jacob to him. "Whoa, what are you doing?" He said and held his hands up.

"Handing you your nephew. He won't bite." Lorelai joked as Adam reluctantly held him. He awkwardly adjusted Jacob as Lorelai left the room.

"Hey, where are you going? Don't leave me alone with him!" Adam said and looked back down at Jacob who was smiling at him. "Hey" Adam said nervously before Jacob laughed at him.

"He's making fun of you already?" Lorelai smiled when she saw the scene after returning to the room.

"Here, you can have him back." Adam insisted and passed Jacob back to Lorelai.

"What's with you? Are you afraid of him or something?"

"Kind of." Adam admitted.

"It's not scary Adam. Just spend more time around him and you'll be ok. Plus, I think he sort of likes you." Lorelai said and tickled Jacob. "Isn't Uncle Adam silly?" She asked the little boy while pointing toward Adam. Jacob looked in the direction she pointed and giggled when he saw Adam.

"Geez." Adam grumbled before smiling and starting to leave the room.

"Oh, just so you know, I just called Rory. She's on her way." Lorelai said seriously.

"Ok. I'll be at The Dragonfly if you need anything." He called over his shoulder.

Lorelai sighed before looking back at Jacob. "Well Grandson, we better go play for a while before things get crazy around here. You're lucky you don't really understand the grown up problems going on right now."


	26. Chapter 26

Catherine slept the rest of the afternoon and evening while the Danes family gathered back at the house. Luke had driven to Catherine and Jeremy's apartment, but sat outside for about an hour before driving back to Stars Hollow. He really felt like punching Jeremy, but knew that it wouldn't solve anything and could make things worse.

Rory arrived late at night, but went straight to Abby's room, where Catherine was sleeping. Rory sat on the bed next to where Catherine was lying. "Sweetie?" She whispered and touched her shoulder.

"Mommy?" She said and rolled over to look up at Rory. She started crying again and Rory quickly pulled her into a hug.

"Shh. It's going to be ok." Rory whispered.

After a couple minutes, Catherine calmed down a little and was able to talk. "You were right Mom-"

"No Catherine. I wasn't right about anything." Rory insisted.

"Jer…He…He…" Catherine said between sobs.

"Shh. You don't have to explain baby. Grandma explained it all on the phone. Just relax. It will all be ok." Rory insisted and continued to hold her daughter and stroke her hair. About half an hour later, Catherine had fallen asleep and Rory was in the kitchen drinking coffee with Lorelai.

"So, tell me what happened again?" Rory asked.

"Well, I have yet to hear the full story." Lorelai clarified. "It seems that Catherine drove straight here after she discovered Jeremy in bed with another woman. I guess Catherine finished her last final and walked in on him. He tried to make excuses and explain, which is kind of pathetic."

Rory sighed and shook her head. "That little jackass." She breathed. "I really want to go kill him right now, but I need to be here with Catherine. I feel horrible for her. I just wish there was something I could do to make it better."

"Me too." Lorelai nodded. "Luke already attempted to kill him, but backed off at the last minute."

"Wow. Luke's gotten soft in his old age." Rory smirked.

"Yes, plus I think he realized that having any interaction with Jeremy could make things worse. If there is any sort of legal action resulting from this, having Luke beating Jeremy up isn't going to help Catherine's case."

"Good call." Rory agreed. "I just hope I can keep Ben and Joel away from him."

"They're coming?"

"Yes. Madelyn is visiting Ben and we couldn't get enough tickets for everyone to come on the same flight as me. They'll be here tomorrow afternoon. Abby and David are coming too."

"Who's David?" Lorelai questioned.

Rory grimaced realizing that Abby hadn't told her parents about her new boyfriend. "Crap. I think I just spilled something I wasn't supposed to." Rory sighed.

"Who's David?" Lorelai asked again.

"Abby's boyfriend"

"Oh" Lorelai said and frowned. "How long has she been dating him? She didn't tell us anything about a boyfriend."

"It's relatively new. Joel, Ben, and I met him last weekend."

"Well, tell me all about him then since you seem to be the expert." Lorelai said sarcastically.

"Mom, don't be mad with her. It really is a new thing and I doubt she was trying to hide him. She's bringing him here after all. I think she just wanted us to meet him to see what we thought." Rory assured her. "He is a good guy though. His name is David Schwartz and he is in my class with Abby. He's a good student and seems pretty serious about his studies; unlike the frat boys Abby usually hangs out with. David is from Portland, OR and was raised by a single Mom who runs a hotel there. Joel knows her and says she's a really good businesswoman. I think David is going to be really good for Abby."

"Ok, I'll give him a chance." Lorelai sighed. "Why is this family so scared to just be out in the open about everything? I feel like we're always hiding something."

"I have no idea why that is, but we should change it. We all love each other so much and really don't want to disappoint anyone." Rory shrugged.

"I suppose." Lorelai agreed. "This David kid better not be anything like Jeremy or we're going to have a serious problem."

"He really doesn't seem like that type." Rory insisted.

"What do you think of Madelyn and Ben?" Lorelai said to shift the subject.

"I like her. She's very nice, but so quiet and reserved. It's kind of hard to get to know her really well. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just going to take Joel and I a while to get to know better."

"If it helps, I know her fairly well." Lorelai explained. "She owns Weston's Bakery, which you already know. She's just out of college and I think she's twenty-four years old, so a bit older than Ben, but not too much. Her Dad died when she was little and her Mom passed away from cancer a few years ago. She used money from her inheritance to buy Weston's. She's never mentioned any siblings, so I think she's an only child."

"You certainly know her life story. What did you do, have someone investigate her?" Rory laughed.

"No, I just spend many afternoons there and she's pretty talkative when business is slow." Lorelai shrugged. "I like her. She's a very confident young woman. Madelyn and Ben would make a great team."

"Ben seems to be pretty serious about her." Rory said. "I accidentally walked in on them naked in Ben's bed the other day."

"Awkward" Lorelai snickered.

"Very" Rory agreed. "Ben's never really been serious about any girl before, so I just worry a bit. I trust his judgment, but I'm just a worry wart about him sometimes. I think I'm driving Joel nuts with all my worrying about everything."

"You love your kids a lot and don't want them to get hurt. I don't think that drives Joel nuts. I think he loves that about you." Lorelai smiled.

"Being a Mom is seriously stressful sometimes. I wish I could keep Ben and Catherine safe and protected all the time, but I have to let them go out into the world and live their own lives."

"You're doing really great with them Rory. I know Catherine's situation is stressful, but it will be ok. We're all here for her and she'll figure it out." Lorelai assured her.

"I just wish she didn't have to go through all this in the first place."

"I know." Lorelai said and hugged Rory. "Ok." Lorelai sighed. "It's late. You want to get some sleep? You can use the guest room."

"Ok, thanks. Tomorrow will probably be a long day, so I should get my beauty sleep." Rory said before hugging Lorelai and walking up the stairs toward the guest room.

XXXXX

Rory ran through Stars Hollow with aggression as she thought about Catherine's situation. Just a few months ago Catherine had explained that things were going really well with her and Jeremy. He seemed to be very open and honest with her and seemed to really love her. That's what fueled Rory's anger; Jeremy seemed like a nice guy. Rory wondered if it was all a clever plot to deceive Catherine. Even if it was some sinister plan, why would he marry Catherine? Why would he go through all the trouble of getting married if he didn't want a long term relationship? Rory really wanted to get to the bottom of this, but she also didn't want to upset her daughter in the process.

Rory felt her muscles ache and she slowed her pace as she ran toward the diner. As she opened the door and walked inside, Kirk looked up from where he sat.

"Rory, I see you've taken up the fine sport of running." He said and nodded at her.

"Yes Kirk" Rory said and walked past him to sit at the counter.

"Morning Rory" Luke said as he came out of the kitchen and quickly poured her a cup of coffee and a glass of water.

"Hey Luke. Can I just get an egg white omelet and some turkey bacon?"

"Sure, no problem. You're out early." He noted.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep so I went for a run." Rory said.

After Rory finished her breakfast she walked back across the town square toward Luke and Lorelai's house. As she was about to cross the street, she bumped into Dean.

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't paying attention" Rory said and looked up. "Dean" She said and frowned.

"Rory, hey, I'm sorry about what happened between Jeremy and Cate-"He said, but stopped when Rory simply turned and walked away from him. "Rory!" He called after her. "Hey, it's not my fault!"

Rory stopped and turned around to face him. "I know Dean, but I don't want to say something I'll regret later." She said and turned and walked away. The last thing Rory wanted to do was have a conversation with Dean right now. She knew he really wasn't at fault for what happened and she shouldn't blame him, but a part of her did.

XXXXX

Later that afternoon Joel, Ben, Madelyn, Abby, and David arrived at the Danes house in Stars Hollow.

"How is she?" Joel asked Rory after greeting her at the front door.

"She slept most of yesterday and through the night. I think she may still be in shock." Rory explained. "She's been in Abby's room most of today sleeping and crying."

"Ok." Joel nodded.

"Where is everyone?" Abby asked while holding David's hand tightly.

"Eating lunch at the Diner. I told Mom I'd call once you were ready for her and your Dad to come meet David."

"Is she upset I didn't tell her we were dating?"

"Not really. I think she was shocked that you didn't say anything, but I put in a good word for David, so you should be ok." Rory smiled.

"Thanks Rory. I appreciate that." David nodded. "It's kind of intimidating to meet everyone. I'm not used to big families."

"It'll be fine Davey." Abby assured him. "They'll love you once they get to know you more."

"Davey?" Rory snickered as David blushed.

"It could be worse." Joel assured him. "Rory calls me Joeley-Bear sometimes."

"Ha, yeah, I guess it could be." David smiled.

"I'll go call Mom and tell her you're ready." Rory said and went to find her cell phone.

"Just relax David. They're really not that bad." Joel assured the young man.

"Ok, but give me a signal if it's time for me to run out the back door." David joked.

Soon Lorelai and Luke cautiously entered the house and Lorelai announced their presence. "Honeys we're home!"

"In the living room!" Rory answered as they all stood up to greet Luke and Lorelai. Joel and Ben quickly hugged them and exchanged greetings.

"Hi Mom and Dad" Abby said before hugging them. She stood back and held David's hand as Lorelai and Luke looked at them. "Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, David."

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Danes. Nice to meet you." David said nervously as he shook Luke's hand and then Lorelai's.

"Luke and Lorelai is fine David." Lorelai smiled.

"Mr. Danes." Luke corrected while eyeing David wearily and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes Sir." David nodded and swallowed hard.

"Dad, don't scare him." Abby pleaded while squeezing David's hand again.

"Fine." Luke said and uncrossed his arms. "What are you studying in school David?"

"I'm an English Major, Sir." David responded quickly. "I'm not one hundred percent sure what I'll do when I'm done with school, but I'm thinking about being a teacher."

"And you think you can make a living doing that?" Luke questioned.

"uh, well, I don't think I'll get rich being a teacher, but I'll be able to support myself. I'm not used to having a real fancy lifestyle, so I'll manage ok." David tried to explain.

"Can you support a family on a teacher's salary?"

"Well, I don't have a family, so that isn't really an issue." David said before realizing what Luke really meant. "Oh, uh, there is no family plans in the works, so I guess I can figure that out once I know what I'll be making. I could take on a weekend or summer job if I had to. I'm a hard worker, Sir."

"Why don't you just find a job that makes more money in the first place?"

"I want to do something that makes a difference. I had several teachers while I was going to school that made a difference in my life, so I'd like to return the favor." David said with a bit more confidence.

Luke was about to ask another question, but Lorelai cut him off. "Ok, enough with the interrogation." She said with a smile on her face. "Who wants to go get some pie?"

Madelyn, who had been silent until now, offered to treat everyone. "Pie is on the house for the Danes and Alexander families today."

"I've always liked you." Lorelai smiled. "Let's go!"

They all followed Lorelai and headed toward Weston's. Abby and David followed at a distance.

"Are you ok?" Abby whispered to David.

"I'm fine." He assured her. "Just a little nervous, but I'll be ok as I get to know your parents more."

"Dad didn't hit you, so you're good so far." She joked.

"Has your Dad ever hit one of your boyfriends?"

"Only one, but he deserved it." Abby joked. "Just kidding. I've never actually seen him hit anyone. His bark is worse than his bite."

"What about your brothers?"

"They'll be fine." Abby said confidently. "They're all very overprotective, but they'll like you. Rory's already given her approval, so you've got one out of seven siblings on board."

David just flashed her a small smile and squeezed her hand as they continued to walk with the family.

After everyone had finished eating their pie, David helped Joel clear plates.

"You know what you're getting into, right?" Joel asked David as they carefully set the plates in the sink.

"I think so. Is this family pretty crazy like Abby said?"

"Probably more crazy than she said." Joel laughed. "It's big and loud and crazy, but they all love each other a lot and are fiercely loyal. Once they get to know you they'll like you and you'll be in."

"I hope so. I'm crazy about Abby." David smiled.

XXXXX

Once the family got back to the Danes house, Rory and Joel went up to Abby's room to check on Catherine. They stopped at the closed door when they heard her crying inside. They both took a deep breath before Joel opened the door and walked to where Catherine was huddled under the blankets in Abby's bed.

"Catherine" Joel whispered as he and Rory sat on the food of the bed.

"Dad?" She asked and slowly crawled out from underneath the blankets. Her hair was a mess and her face was red and tear stained. She quickly crawled into Joel's lap and clung to him while she continued to cry. Rory gently rubbed her back while looking at Joel with pain on her face.

"Sweetheart, we're here now." Joel said and tried to wipe her tears away. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

"I can't believe this is happening." Catherine said between sobs. "What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Rory assured her. "You didn't do anything to deserve that."

"What am I supposed to do now?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Joel asked.

"I want to punch Jeremy in the face and get all of my stuff out of the apartment. I don't want to ever see him again."

"Ok, well, if that's what you want."

"My heart hurts." Catherine said sadly. "I love him and he betrayed me. How long do you think he's been having an affair?"

"We don't know Catherine." Rory answered. "I really wish I could answer all of your questions, but only Jeremy can. That doesn't mean I think you should go talk to him right now, but eventually it may answer your questions. How about we get you showered and dressed and you can come have dinner downstairs with the family? Grandpa was talking about Barbequing in the backyard. I bet he'll cook you anything you want."

"Ok" Catherine agreed and wrapped an arm around each parent. They hugged her tightly before she stood up. "Do you think Grandpa will make me a triple cheeseburger with triple cheese?"

"Probably" Rory laughed. "Are you sure you can eat all that?"

"I'm starving." Catherine said before smiling and heading down the hall to the bathroom.

Joel quickly hugged Rory before sighing and standing up. "I hate seeing her so upset."

"So do I." Rory agreed. "It's all I can do to keep from finding Jeremy and strangling him."

"Where is that little shit anyway?"

"I have no idea. Probably at work or their apartment. From what I've heard, he hasn't made any effort to contact Catherine. Maybe he's called her cell." Rory said.

"It's probably best that they don't talk right away. It's going to just hurt Catherine more."

XXXXX

Ben knocked on the front door of Dean's house while leaning against the doorframe. He refused to use a walker around Stars Hollow, so he used a cane or got someone to help him walk around. Today he'd completely refused all help in getting to Dean's house. He wanted to thank Dean for being his bone marrow donor and he wanted to do it on his own terms.

Ben smiled as Dean opened the door. "Hi Mr. Forrester."

"Ben! It's great to see you!" Dean exclaimed and shook Ben's hand enthusiastically. "Please, call me Dean."

"Sure Dean." Ben nodded. "Do you have some time to talk? Can I treat you to a cup of coffee?"

"Yeah, my wife and step daughters are out shopping. Why don't you come on in and I'll make some coffee?"

"Ok" Ben nodded and slowly followed Dean to the kitchen and sat at the table as Dean made the coffee. "Thanks" Ben said as Dean set two cups of coffee on the table.

"I hope it's up to your standards. I know your Mom was crazy about coffee, so I just assumed you are too."

Ben sipped the coffee and nodded in approval. "It's good. I think I may be a bit more crazy about coffee than my Mom, if that's even possible. I've been obsessed with it for at least ten years. I was hooked from the first sip."

Dean shook his head and smiled.

"So, I wanted to thank you Dean. Thank you so much for volunteering to do the bone marrow transplant. It saved my life." Ben said sincerely. "I don't really know how to repay you for that."

"You don't need to do anything Ben. I was happy to help."

"Well, thanks again Dean. I don't really know what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in, so thank you."

"You're welcome." Dean nodded. "It was the right thing to do and I was happy to help. I do have one request though."

"Sure, anything."

"Live a good life Ben. Do good things and be a great man. That's how you can repay me." Dean said seriously.

"I'll do my best." Ben insisted. "I feel like I've been given a second chance and I'm not going to screw it up."

"Good" Dean said. "Hey, uh, I kind of feel like I should apologize for Jeremy. I feel really bad about what he's done to Catherine."

Ben tensed as the subject changed and did his best to remain calm. "Dean, I know you're a good guy. You wouldn't have donated your bone marrow to me if you weren't. However, I can't say the same for Jeremy. He's not treating Catherine like she should be treated. He's been a complete asshole and I really don't have anything good to say about him. Sorry, I'm not trying to hurt you."

"It's ok Ben. I understand that you have strong feelings against him." Dean said and sighed. "To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not too fond of Jeremy right now either. He's my son and I love him, but I'm really upset with how he's behaving right now. I screwed up when he was younger and he's got some issues from the way he grew up. I get that. My oldest son doesn't seem to be as messed up, but then again I don't talk to him all that much. I sort of failed them as a father. It may be too late, but I'm going to do my best to help Jeremy get clean and sober."

"That's great Dean, but I can't say I'd encourage Catherine to stay with Jeremy and help him through it. In my eyes I just don't see Jeremy wanting to change that much. I don't want Catherine to spend her life with a guy who does drugs, drinks, and cheats on her. I love her too much to just stand by and watch her go through that."

"I understand Ben. You love your sister a lot and want the best for her. I get that. I have a little sister and feel the same about her, so I can understand your feelings as a brother."

"Growing up Catherine and I were really close because we only had each other. We love our parents, but we never had any cousins or other siblings, so we grew really close to each other. I love Catherine and want her to have a really great husband. Someone to cherish her and be a great life partner for her. Maybe even have kids one day. Jeremy just isn't that guy in my eyes."

Dean nodded and smiled softly. "I'm really sorry that Jeremy has treated Catherine so poorly."

"It's not your fault." Ben assured him. "I don't blame you. My family doesn't blame you."

"Your Mom bumped into me yesterday morning and pretty much refused to talk to me."

"She's upset. I think she probably just didn't want to get into a conversation about it at that point. I know she doesn't hate you or blame you."

"Ok. I really do feel awful about all this."

"Everyone does." Ben agreed. "I should probably get back to the house. Thank you again for everything you did for me."

"You're welcome again Ben." Dean said as the both stood up. They awkwardly hugged each other before Dean showed Ben to the door and waved goodbye. Ben quickly hobbled to Weston's Bakery and smiled when he entered and saw Madelyn behind the counter.

"Ben!" She exclaimed and walked around to kiss him before he sat at a nearby table. "What are you doing wandering around by yourself?"

"I went to talk to Dean."

"How did it go?"

"How about a piece of Red Velvet cake first?" Ben asked with a smile.

"Coming right up." Madelyn smiled and quickly got him a slice of cake and a cup of coffee. She grabbed two forks and they shared the cake while Ben recounted his conversation with Dean. "Sounds like it was a pretty good talk." She noted after Ben finished talking.

"Yeah, it was." Ben agreed. "A little tense when we talked about Jeremy, but I guess that's to be expected in the situation. Overall, Dean's a good guy and I can respect him for that."

"Plus he gave you a pretty awesome gift. If it hadn't been for Dean, we might not be together." Madelyn said and kissed him.

"That is true." Ben smiled. "Hey, what do you think of me staying here for a while?"

"You mean in Stars Hollow?"

"Yeah. What if I stay for a month or so?"

"That would be great!" She exclaimed and kissed Ben again. "You can stay with me if you want. I would love to spend that much time with you."

"You think you could also hook me up with a job at this place?"

"I can talk to the owner and see if she's willing to hire a guy who may drink more in coffee than she pays him." Madelyn smiled and chuckled.

"Hell, I'd be good if you just gave me free coffee and didn't pay me at all."

"I'm not sure how I feel about hiring someone I'm sleeping with." She joked.

"Just tell everyone that's why you hired me."

"Ben!" She laughed. "I'd prefer we didn't broadcast that to everyone."

"Ok, ok. Seriously though, would it be ok if I stayed for a while."

"Absolutely Ben."

XXXXX

**AN: Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing! It always makes my day to gets reviews. **


	27. Chapter 27

"Hey Martha, there's something I want to talk to you about." Patrick said as he wandered into the kitchen of The Dragonfly.

"Sure" Martha said and stopped what she was doing.

"We've been spending a lot of time together recently and I just realized something." Patrick said. "You're a really talented chef and I think we could work really well together. I would like to make you an offer. I'd like you to be the executive chef and restaurant general manager for The Danes Group. Of course, this is an offer for the future. We only have this Inn, but once I buy a few more, I really want you for the job." He said and smiled while Martha thought about it.

"Sure, sounds good." Martha nodded.

"Great! We'll look forward to having you aboard." Patrick nodded and left the kitchen.

"That wasn't what I thought it was going to be." Martha mumbled before going back to her work.

"What did you think it was?" Sookie asked from her station at the stove.

"Well…." Martha hesitated. "I sort of thought he was going to ask me out."

"Really?" Sookie squealed. "Oh! You two finally going to get together! I've been dreaming about this since Patrick was born! Take over for me sweetie, I'm going to go confer with Lorelai." Sookie said and took her apron off before grabbing her purse and leaving.

Martha sighed and shook her head as she walked over to the stove.

Minutes later, Sookie yelled out a hello as she entered Lorelai's house.

"Shh" Lorelai said as she walked down the stairs. "I just got Jacob to go down for his nap."

"Sorry" Sookie winced. "I'm a little excited, I guess."

"About what?" Lorelai said as she led them to the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee.

Sookie smiled and paused before grabbing Lorelai's arm and saying, "Patrick almost asked Martha out!"

"Really?" Lorelai asked as they sat at the table. "I didn't know they were thinking about dating."

"Well, they're not really." Sookie clarified. "They've been spending a lot of time together lately and I think Martha is warming up to him. Today Patrick came into the kitchen and asked Martha to be the executive chef and restaurant manager for The Danes Group, in the future of course, when they have more Inns."

"That's good. She'll be good at that." Lorelai said. "I just don't see how this leads to them dating."

"It was the way Patrick asked Martha." Sookie drew out. "After he left she said she thought he was going to ask her out at first."

"But he didn't, so I'm having a hard time seeing why you're so excited."

"Because now my plan is coming true! Patrick and Martha are going to get together just like I planned since they were babies! Oh, we're going to be related now!" Sookie exclaimed.

"You're still dreaming about that?" Lorelai smiled.

"I've never given up hope."

"Well, I don't know if it will happen, but it could be nice." Lorelai said. "Just don't expect Patrick to move too quickly. He's got Jacob now, so I don't think he's really thinking about dating."

"I know, but just the fact that Martha's thinking about it and they're spending time together is exciting. Oh, and when they get married Jacob will be my step-grandson!" Sookie exclaimed and clapped her hands.

"Wow, you're really excited about this."

"Well yeah. Don't you think it would be exciting to have our kids get together?"

"Of course it would, but I just don't want to get my hopes up or force them together." Lorelai explained.

"It's going to happen. I just know it." Sookie said firmly. "And I'm going to make the wedding cake. Do you think Red Velvet would be good or is that too over the top?"

XXXXX

Patrick yawned and rolled over before looking at the crib across from his bed. He frowned when he didn't see Jacob and stood up to investigate closer. His started to panic and darted out of his room and down the stairs. He stopped when he got to the kitchen and saw Lorelai bouncing the baby in her arms as she and Luke sat at the table.

"Patrick? Everything ok?" Lorelai asked as Patrick walked over to them and took Jacob from her and held him close to his bare chest.

"Yeah, sorry. I woke up and panicked when Jacob wasn't in his crib." Patrick explained and kissed the top of Jacob's head. "Scared the crap out of me."

"Oh, sorry. I thought I'd let you sleep in. Next time I'll leave a post it on your forehead." Lorelai smiled.

"It's ok Mom. I appreciate the thought. It just scared me at first. I'm glad everything is fine."

"Must have really scared you." Luke nodded. "You're standing in the kitchen in just a pair of boxers."

"Sorry, I didn't even think. I'll go change." Patrick said and kissed Jacob again before handing him back to Lorelai and going upstairs.

"You can sleep for a while longer." Lorelai said as he left. "We've don't have anywhere to be and are happy looking after him."

"I think I'm going to take you up on that." Patrick said and went upstairs.

Luke smiled and leaned forward to kiss Jacob's forehead. "I think it's safe to say that Patrick is now officially a father."

"Because this little guy didn't already prove that fact?"

"Biologically, but it's taken him a while to get a hang of the Dad thing. I think panicking when your kid isn't in his crib makes that clear. Pat's really grown up the last couple months and really stepped up to the plate with Jacob."

"He has." Lorelai nodded. "Hey, this may be completely crazy, but what do you think of Patrick and Martha dating?"

"Where's that coming from?" Luke wondered.

"Sookie has this crazy idea that Patrick is sweet on Martha since they've been spending so much time together. You know Sookie has always wanted those two to get together, but I think it's more than just a crazy theory now. I saw the way Martha looked at Jacob last weekend."

"Really? You think there may be something there?"

"I do." Lorelai nodded.

Luke took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "I guess it's really up to them. They're both adults. I'd be surprised if Patrick jumped in right away though. His old girlfriend hurt him pretty bad by dumping him and then dropping Jacob on him."

"Yes, that's what I told Sookie." Lorelai agreed. "I have to admit that I'm glad Jacob's with us now. I hate to think about what would have happened if Kelly hadn't dropped him off. We all love Jacob and will make sure he's raised surrounded by love and family."

"He is a pretty great little guy." Luke agreed before making a face at Jacob, causing him to giggle.

"We're pretty lucky with Grandkids." Lorelai said. "We have Ben and Catherine, who are completely amazing and intelligent. Even though Jacob was a shock, I'm really thrilled he's here. Sam and Jenny's baby is going to be pretty amazing too."

"I know Grandma." Luke smiled. "I never really imagined what it would be like to be a Grandpa, but I really like it. I get to spoil the kids rotten and then send them home when they start crying." He laughed.

"Yeah, it's pretty great. Just think with all our kids, we're going to have a nice big brood of Grandchildren." Lorelai smiled. "Rory has two kids and if each one of our kids each has two that'll be fourteen Grandchildren!"

Luke raised his eyebrows and sat back in his chair a little while taking the number in. "That's so many. What the heck would we ever do with that many?"

"Spoil them and spend time with them."

"So, exactly what we're doing with Jacob?" Luke asked as Lorelai passed the baby to him and Luke kissed the top of his head.

"Exactly Grandpa." Lorelai smiled.

XXXXX

Rory took a deep breath as she walked to the front door of Dean's house. She felt bad for the way she ignored Dean when she'd bumped into him the other day. She still wasn't really ready to talk to him, but she forced herself to go to him anyway. She knocked on the door and waited until Dean opened the door.

"Rory" He said and looked at her.

"Hi Dean." She said quickly. "Can we go someplace and talk?"

"Sure. You pick the place."

"Want to take a field trip to the Starbucks in Litchfield? I feel like we're going to be the subject of gossip and eavesdropping around here."

"Yeah, ok. Just give me a second to tell my wife and grab my wallet. Be right back." Dean said and went inside for a moment. He quickly returned and offered to drive.

The half hour car ride was silent as they drove to Litchfield. Dean grabbed a table once they were at Starbucks and Rory ordered coffee for them.

"So, what would you like to talk about?" Dean asked as Rory handed him a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

"I wanted to apologize for being a bit of a bitch the other day when I ran into you. You didn't deserve that and I want you to know I'm sorry."

"It's ok Rory. You were upset."

"Well, I'm sorry anyways." Rory said. "I just don't know what to do about Jeremy and Catherine."

"Neither do I. I'm so sorry for what he did." Dean said sincerely.

"It's really not your fault Dean."

"I talked to Ben a few days ago and I explained that I failed Jeremy as a father, so I do feel somewhat responsible."

"No one is perfect Dean. You can't change the past either and feeling guilty about it isn't going to help anyone. I appreciate that you care about Catherine in all of this." Rory said.

"She's my daughter-in-law; of course I care about her. She's a wonderful young woman and a terrific wife. Jeremy's really screwed up this time. I wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to see him again." Dean said sadly.

"That's up to her." Rory said. "I've talked to Catherine about that, but I think she needs to talk with Jeremy before you and I discuss it. I trust that you wouldn't say anything to anyone, but I don't want to betray Catherine's trust by talking about it behind her back."

"That's perfectly understandable." Dean agreed. "It's Catherine's choice to make and I think she should do whatever's right for her. If it makes you feel any better, I did go see Jeremy yesterday."

"Oh, what was he like?"

"He was pretty upset. We actually talked for a couple hours. He claims to have not been drinking the past two days, but he still looked a little out of it when I talked to him. I asked him to go to a drug and alcohol rehab place and he agreed."

"That's good." Rory nodded.

"He didn't really want to talk about what happened with Catherine, but I eventually got it out of him. Jeremy met some woman a few months back when he was out of town on business. She was pretty persistent in pursuing him and also heavy into drugs. Unfortunately, they got pretty wrapped up in both of their drug habits and started having an affair a couple weeks ago. Jeremy said that when Catherine caught him was the only time he and this other woman were together in the apartment. It doesn't make it any better, but I guess that's the fact of the matter. Jeremy said he's done with that woman and completely regrets everything he did to hurt Catherine." Dean explained and shook his head. "I really do believe that the drugs clouded his judgment and he would have never cheated on Catherine if he was sober."

"But Catherine can't just pretend the affair didn't happen. What happens if Jeremy has a relapse? I just hate to think about Catherine staying with him and eventually having a family only to go through this when there are children involved. It could be a huge mess; more so than it already is."

"I know. I wouldn't want that to happen either. I raised two kids in a mess of a marriage and I wouldn't wish that on anyone else." Dean said.

"Can I just say that I'm really sorry you and your boys went through all of that? Because I am. That really sucks for all of you." Rory said while Dean nodded. "I think we can agree that we both love our kids and want what's best for them. I owe you a lot Dean. You gave Ben the gift of healing and you gave me my boy back. I owe you a lot and I haven't really been very nice to Jeremy since he and Catherine got together. I'm still angry with him for his recent actions, but I'll be open to giving him another chance if Catherine does."

"Thanks Rory." Dean nodded. "I appreciate that."

"Gah" Rory grunted. "This is so complicated. You and I have a complicated history; Jeremy and Catherine have a complicated relationship. I'd settle for a less complicated life and everyone having fantastic loving relationships."

"So, you basically want to live in a fairytale?" Dean laughed.

"Yes!" Rory emphatically agreed and laughed.

"I can't exactly make that happen, but let me know if you can think of a way to make that happen."

"I definitely will." Rory said and stood up. "Speaking of families, we should get back to ours. Ready to head back to Stars Hollow?"

"Yup, let's go." Dean agreed.

XXXXX

A few days after Rory and her family had arrived in Stars Hollow, Catherine attempted to pull herself together and reevaluate her life, as she put it. Now that classes were over for the summer, she was able to spend time thinking and sorting out her thoughts. Many afternoons were spent on the back porch of the Danes house writing in a journal or just staring out into the backyard.

Wednesday morning found Catherine sitting outside again. Rory went to Luke's and picked up a cup of coffee for each of them before returning to the house. She stood at the screen door in the kitchen and watched Catherine for a moment before opening the door and going outside.

"Hey lovely daughter of mine." She smiled and set the coffees on a table, startling Catherine. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok. I was just lost in my thoughts." Catherine said. "Thanks for the coffee."

"You're welcome." Rory said and sat next to her daughter. "Mind if I ask what you were thinking about?"

"Jeremy" Catherine sighed. "Just trying to sort everything out in my mind."

"How's that going?"

"Pretty good actually." Catherine said. "I think I know what I'm going to do."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to leave him and file for a divorce." She said firmly and looked at her Mom for feedback.

"You're sure that's what you want to do?"

"You don't think that's a good idea?"

"I didn't say that. I just want you to be secure in your decision."

"There is no way I could ever go back and live with Jeremy like nothing had happened. He cheated on me and that's not something I can just forget." Catherine explained. "I can't be married to him. I tried really hard to help him with his issues and find him some additional help, but he doesn't want to change. I can't force him to do something he doesn't want."

"Ok, I think you're making a good decision." Rory nodded.

"Me too. I have to do what's right for me and make sure I'm safe and happy. I'm afraid that Jeremy's violence will escalate in the future and I'll be trapped in an abusive relationship."

"I don't want to see you go down that road, hun. I think leaving Jeremy will be hard, but it's probably for the best."

"I think so too. The sucky part will be going through the long divorce process."

"Well, at least you guys didn't have kids. That would make a divorce much more complicated." Rory said. "I'm not trying to saying that a divorce is going to be easy, but this way you can go your separate ways and not be tied together by kids."

"Yeah, uh about that." Catherine hesitated. "I'm late."

"As in late late?" Rory said and tilted her head.

"Yeah" Catherine bowed her head. "I'm not sure if it's what I think just yet though. I mean, I just finished finals so stress is probably the cause."

"How late are you?"

"Two weeks"

Rory took a deep breath and looked Catherine in the eye. "Well, that's not out of the realm of being caused by stress. I guess we could go get a test?"

"Oh God, Mom." Catherine said as tears sprang to her eyes. "I really don't want it to be true. I can't have a baby now. I'm leaving Jeremy and am half way through college. I still have law school and several years before I even really have time to think about having kids."

"Don't get too worked up just yet hun." Rory said. "It's probably just stress."

"I really really hope so." Catherine said.

XXXXX

**AN: I haven't completely made up my mind about Catherine. Let me know what you think via review or message! Thanks!**


	28. Chapter 28

Joel slowly stirred in his sleep and felt Rory's hand on his chest. He gently lifted it and kissed her palm before rolling onto his side. He pulled the blankets down to reveal Rory's naked form next to him as he kissed her bare stomach. He slowly worked his way up to her mouth as her eyes fluttered open. Rory sighed in content as she pulled Joel closer and continued to kiss him. Joel hovered above her as Rory softly smiled at the comfort and familiarity of her husband's touch.

A while later Rory sighed and untangled herself from Joel's grip as he slept again. She quickly threw on a pair of Joel's boxers and his t-shirt before making her way to the kitchen in search of coffee.

"Happy One Year Anniversary!" Lorelai said and hugged Rory in the kitchen.

"Huh?" Rory asked and squinted.

"You haven't had any coffee yet, have you?" Lorelai smiled.

"No." Rory said and quickly poured herself a cup. She drank a couple sips and looked at Lorelai. "It's early. What are you so happy about?"

"What?" Lorelai scoffed playfully. "You don't know what today is?"

"Saturday?"

"Not just any Saturday." Lorelai said. "It's now officially been one year since we reconciled."

"Really?" Rory thought while drinking more coffee. She felt the strong brew begin to course through her veins and thought back to a year ago.

"Wow, you're really not good in the mornings." Lorelai laughed.

"Oh my gosh! It has been a year!" Rory exclaimed after finishing her first cup of coffee. She quickly set the cup down and hugged her Mom.

"I love you kiddo." Lorelai smiled as they pulled apart.

"I love you so much Mom." Rory said and then frowned. "Don't you think I'm a little old to be called 'kiddo'?"

"How old are you again?" Lorelai teased.

"You know exactly how old I am." Rory said. "My kids are too old to be called 'kiddo' so that definitely takes me off the 'kiddo' list."

"But you'll always be my kid."

"I know Mom." Rory said and hugged her again.

"I'm not trying to judge, but what are you wearing?"

"Oh" Rory giggled and looked down at herself. "I just threw on what was closest to me when I got out of bed. I was planning to just come down for a cup of coffee."

"Uh huh" Lorelai smiled.

"Why are you up so early anyway?" Rory wondered.

"I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd have some coffee."

"Ok" Rory said warily and started to head back upstairs. "I think I should go back upstairs."

"FYI" Lorelai began as Rory stopped to look at her. "The walls are a little thin since this is an old house. You and Joel were a little loud last night and again this morning." She smiled as Rory blushed.

"Sorry" Rory said embarrassed.

"You two are just like teenagers sometimes." Lorelai grinned. "Sounds like Joel knows what he's doing."

Rory blushed even deeper and tried to hide her face as Joel wandered into the kitchen.

"Speak of the devil." Lorelai joked as Joel looked at Rory and frowned.

"What?" He asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee. He refilled Rory's cup and looked around for Lorelai's cup. "Do you have a cup around here Lorelai?"

"It's upstairs. Grab me one out of the cupboard?" She asked.

"Sure." Joel complied. "Why are you blushing?" He asked Rory.

"I was just telling her that by the sounds of last night and this morning it sounds like you know how to make Rory very happy."

Joel also blushed and quickly handed Lorelai a cup of coffee before he smiled and looked down at the floor. "Sorry about that." He said when he regained his composure. Joel quickly moved to stand by Rory and quickly kissed her. "Good Morning." He said and rested his forehead against hers for a moment.

"Morning." Rory whispered before he stood back and sipped his coffee.

"I thought you two already said 'Good Morning.'" Lorelai joked.

"Mom!" Rory gasped. "Stop"

"Ok, ok." She agreed. "But that's not what I heard you saying earlier…"

"Mom tried to talk to me before I had any coffee this morning." Rory quickly changed the subject.

Joel chuckled and shook his head at Lorelai. "I bet that didn't go so well."

"I should have known better." Lorelai said before turning a bit more serious. "There is actually something I need to discuss with you."

"What?" Rory asked while sipping her coffee, thankful that her Mom seemed to have found something other than sex to discuss.

"Well, I hate to bring this up because I know it's hard for you and this should be happy day, but I might as well get it over with. I got a call from a lawyer yesterday; the firm that is handling your Dad's estate. They are ready to close everything up and I guess there are some tax laws where they might run into problems because it's been more than a year since he died. Anyways, they really need to get in touch with you about some money your Dad left you in his Will. I told them you'd be in their office at 2pm today." Lorelai said and winced while waiting for Rory's reaction.

"Ok" Rory said sadly as Joel quickly wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I didn't mean to just force you into this, but it's probably better to get it over with sooner rather than later."

"It's ok Mom. You're right. I should just go and be done with it."

"Want me to go with you or would you rather go alone?" Joel asked.

"You should come. You can take notes for me and listen to all the details that I'm sure I'll miss."Rory said. "It's so strange that my Dad's just gone."

"Sorry babe" Joel said and gently rubbed her back.

"It'll be ok." Rory nodded firmly. "Not to be completely selfish and horrible, but a little extra money would be nice right now. I'm not exactly making tons of money teaching and getting my PhD is really expensive. It would be nice to have a little money to pay for that."

"I think it's going to be more than 'a little extra money'." Lorelai laughed. "Your Dad was totally loaded Rory. He did really well for himself over the last twenty years, so you're probably getting millions."

"Let's not talk about how much money I'm getting. It just sounds so wrong to discuss that. I'd rather not have the money and have Dad around." Rory said sadly.

"I know you would." Joel said and kissed the top of her head. "Why are you wearing my clothes, by the way?"

"Because I just wanted to grab a cup of coffee and go back upstairs. I didn't think I was going to be having an in depth conversation." Rory rolled her eyes. "Can I go shower and get dressed now?"

"Sure. I'll be up to take a shower after you." Joel nodded and looked right at Lorelai warning her not to make a dirty comment.

Lorelai bit her tongue as Rory left and then smiled at Joel.

"What is with you today?" He asked.

"Sorry, you guy just provide me with such good material." Lorelai laughed. "Seriously though, you guys were loud."

"Geez" Joel groaned and walked out of the kitchen before Lorelai could make another wise crack.

XXXXX

Rory entered the living room after she and Joel returned from the lawyers' office and set a brown paper bag down in front of Catherine.

"I got you something." Rory said and sat down next to her on the couch.

Catherine smiled and opened the bag. She frowned when she saw a pregnancy test inside.

"I thought you could use that and since we were in Hartford I thought it would be a good place to buy a test without the town gossiping." Rory explained.

"Oh. So, you told Dad then?"

"Yeah, I had to. You can't just buy a pregnancy test and not tell your husband what's going on or who it's for." Rory smiled. "He loves you and is concerned, but he promised not to make a big deal out of it and to just leave you alone until you want to talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it or take that test." Catherine insisted.

"Please Catherine. Just take it and then you'll know. Why keep worrying about it?"

"I'm not worrying. I'm not even thinking about it." Catherine said casually. She picked up the bag and set it in her Mom's lap. "Please take that upstairs with you."

"Ok. It'll be in the guest bathroom when you're ready." Rory sighed and walked upstairs.

XXXXX

"Hey Sookie" Patrick said as he casually walked into the kitchen of the dragonfly.

"Hey Patrick. Martha's out on her lunch break, you just missed her."

"Oh, thanks, but I actually came to talk to you."

"Ok, what can I do for you?" Sookie asked while turning her full attention to him.

"Is Martha ok? She's been kind of cold and distant lately. We've been getting along really well and now she's just not really talking to me. Did I do something to upset her?" Patrick wondered.

Sookie chucked at Patrick's confusion before explaining the situation to him. "Patrick, you're as thick headed as your Dad sometimes. Can't you see why she's upset?"

"No, that's why I'm asking you." Patrick said in frustration.

"Martha likes you Patrick. She thought you felt the same, but you don't seem to be responding to any of her hints."

"Oh" Patrick chocked out as his face turned white. "I, uh, didn't know she felt the same way." 

"So…you like her too?" Sookie hoped.

"Uh, yeah, I, uh, I have for a while." Patrick admitted while blushing slightly.

Sookie squealed in delight and threw her arms around Patrick's neck while hugging him tightly. "Why haven't you asked her out yet?" She asked after pulling away from him.

"I don't know. I didn't know she felt the same way." Patrick shrugged.

"You're just like your father." Sookie smiled. "Don't wait forever to ask her out. You like her and she likes you, so just ask her out already!"

"Ok, ok." Patrick grinned. "What kind of flowers does she like?"

"I don't know that she has a favorite, but she likes anything bright and colorful." Sookie smiled. "When are you going to ask her out?"

"I don't know. Soon I guess."

"Don't wait forever." Sookie said firmly.

"I won't." Patrick nodded and began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Oh, wait. I made cookies!" Sookie shouted and handed him a couple cookies before hugging him again and then telling him to get back to work.


	29. Chapter 29

**AN: Thanks so much for your reviews on the last couple chapters! **

**WARNING: This chapter contains domestic violence.**

XXXXX

Jenny walked around in the kitchen of her and Sam's house bouncing Jacob on her hip. She slowly peaked into the guest bedroom where Patrick had just finished tying his tie.

"You look nice" She said and smiled at him.

"Thanks. You think a shirt and tie is ok or should I put the jacket on too?" Patrick asked and held up his suit jacket.

"You should wear the jacket, but you can take it off after dinner if you want."

"Ok" Patrick groaned and slipped the jacket on.

"Why are you getting dressed at our place?" Sam asked as he looked into the room. "Are you a girl or something?"

"Very funny." Patrick said and glared at him. "I didn't want to change before I brought Jacob over in case he spit up on me. I doubt Martha would appreciate going on a date and having to look at baby puke on my shirt all night long."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sam said. "You really just wanted Jenny to give you some fashion advice."

"You look nice Pat." Jenny said again. "Don't let your little brother bother you."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side." Sam joked.

"Well, then don't make fun of him when he's so nervous about his date."

"Are you nervous dude?" Sam asked Patrick.

"Somewhat. I don't want to screw this up."

"Heck, you already know that she likes you. Don't piss all over it and you'll be fine." Sam grunted.

"Geez, what encouragement." Patrick rolled his eyes.

"You'll be fine Patrick. Just relax and be yourself." Jenny said before looking at her watch. "Oh! You're going to be late. You better get going."

Patrick nodded and picked up the flowers he'd brought in earlier off of the bed and kissed Jacob's head. "Goodnight buddy. Be really good for Uncle Sam and Aunt Jenny. I'll see you in the morning." He walked out the front door while thanking Sam and Jenny.

"I didn't know we were keeping him over night." Sam frowned. "Patrick must have high hopes for this date."

"It's just easier for everyone if we keep him overnight. Jacob's bed time is in about an hour so Patrick didn't want to wake him up late tonight on his way home. I seriously doubt Patrick is planning on getting lucky. He said he was planning to take things slow with Martha. Plus, it gives us some good practice being parents." Jenny clarified and handed the baby to Sam. "I think your parents were pretty happy to have a break for once too."

"He's staring at me." Sam complained as Jacob looked at him.

"So? Does it freak you out or something?"

"It's weird." Sam said as Jacob reached out and grabbed Sam's nose. Sam frowned and pulled his head back while moving the boy's hand. "That's not a toy." He said as Jacob frowned at him.

Jenny laughed at the exchange and shook her head.

"I'm pretty sure this kid doesn't like me." Sam concluded as Jacob reached out for Jenny to hold him again. She gladly accepted and smiled as the little boy cuddled against her chest.

"Maybe if you were a little more fun." Jenny noted.

"I don't think I have any kid skills." Sam frowned.

"What?"

"You know, the ability to make kids like you and to take care of them. You're a natural with Jacob and I have no clue what to do with him. I always feel like I'm going to break him." Sam admitted. "How am I ever going to be a good Dad when I can't even take care of my nephew for a couple hours?"

"You're going to be a great Dad Sam." Jenny insisted. "You just need to get used to babies and you'll find your grove. Patrick knew nothing about babies and he's rockin' his Dad gig now." She said and handed Jacob back to him. "You're going to have to get used to him." Sam cringed and Jenny rolled her eyes. "He's not going to bite you."

"He might. He's done it before." Sam said.

"What? When did Jacob bite you?"

"Last week at family dinner!" Sam informed her. "You were gossiping in the kitchen with Mom and Rory while the rest of us were in the living room. Jacob was scooting around on the floor and chewing on some sort of stuffed animal. He moved over to where I was sitting and totally chomped on my ankle."

Jenny tried to stifle a laugh as she pictured the scene in her mind.

"It hurt!" Sam said as Jacob giggled. "See! He knows exactly what he's doing!"

"Oh please. Don't be so dramatic." Jenny laughed. "He's just a baby. He doesn't have some crazy plot against you."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Sam hesitated as Jacob reached for his nose again.

XXXXX

"Catherine, please just take a pregnancy test!" Rory said exacerbated with her daughter's stubbornness.

"No Mom." Catherine said firmly as she walked out of Abby's bedroom with Rory hot on her heels.

"It would make everything so much easier if you just took a test and found out."

"No it wouldn't. If it was positive, my entire life would be turned upside down." Catherine said.

"A test isn't going to change the truth Catherine. You either are pregnant or you're not."

"But a test will make it real or not. I don't know if I want it to be real." Catherine sighed.

"Only one way to find out." Rory sighed.

Catherine nodded and took a deep breath. "Ok, you're right. I'll do it."

"The test I bought the other day is under the sink in the guest bathroom in a paper bag. Want me to wait with you or just leave you alone for a while?"

"Uh, I'll take it alone and get you after. I may not be able to look at it." Catherine whispered. Rory nodded and waited in the hall outside the bathroom for what seemed like an eternity until Catherine opened the door and waved her in. Catherine was white as a sheet and looked like she was going to vomit.

"What did it say?" Rory asked before she walked into the bathroom.

"I can't look." Catherine whispered. Rory nodded and put her arm around Catherine's shoulders as they both stood in front of the counter.

"Do you want me to look or should we both look on the count of three?" Rory asked.

"Count of three." Catherine said and shut her eyes.

"Ok. One…two…three." Rory said and held her breath as they both looked down at the test on the counter. Rory frowned and quickly grabbed the directions off the counter before whispering, "You're pregnant."

"No" Catherine said and leaned on the counter for support. "No, it' can't be."

"That's what it says Catherine." Rory said sadly.

Catherine nodded and tears sprang to her eyes as she felt her knees buckle. Rory quickly pulled her into a hug to stabilize her and comfort her.

"Shhh. It's going to be ok." Rory whispered while holding her now sobbing daughter. "We'll figure this out. Your Dad and I love you so much and we'll be here for you."

"Is everything ok?" Lorelai asked as she peaked into the bathroom.

Rory turned to look over her shoulder and motioned to the test on the counter. Lorelai looked at it and her eyes went wide before she pointed to Catherine and Rory nodded in affirmation. Lorelai quickly moved to hug Catherine from behind and whispered comforting things in her ear.

XXXXX

"Is she sleeping?" Joel asked as Rory quietly shut the door to Abby's room behind her.

"Yes"

"So, she took the test?"

"Yes. She's pregnant." Rory sighed as Joel hung his head. Joel rubbed his eyes as tears came to his eyes and Rory pulled him into a hug. "We're going to help her Joel. She's not going to do this alone."

"Why is this happening?" He asked as he cleared his throat and pulled away from his wife.

"I don't know, but we're going to be Grandparents." Rory smiled.

"That makes us sound so old." Joel sighed. "I'm not ready to be a Grandpa yet."

"You better get used to it Grandpa because it's happening." Rory said. "We just have to figure out the best way to help Catherine now."

"Ok, let's go get some coffee and figure this out." Joel nodded.

XXXXX

Catherine wandered down the stairs and found her parents sitting in the living room writing on a note pad.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Hi. You're up." Rory smiled. "Are you hungry? You slept through dinner."

"Yeah, are there leftovers in the kitchen?"

"Yes. I'll go make you a plate." Joel said and quickly moved into the kitchen.

"What are you and Dad doing?" Catherine asked as she sat down next to Rory.

"We were talking about ways we can help you with the baby." Rory explained.

"Oh. Did you tell the rest of the family the news?"

"No. It's up to you to share. If you'd like us to be there when you tell them or tell them for you we totally will. It just didn't seem right to gossip about it while you were sleeping. Obviously Grandma Lorelai knows, but that's it."

"Thanks Mom. I really appreciate your support and respect in all this. I'm so completely overwhelmed." Catherine sighed.

"But soon you'll be full." Joel joked and handed Catherine a plate of food.

"Thanks Dad." Catherine smiled as he sat down next to her. "How about you guys tell me about this plan you're hatching while I eat."

"Ok, well first of all we both want you to know that we love you and support you." Rory began while diving into the plan. "As you know, my Dad left me a lot of money when he passed away. Dad and I got everything squared away with the lawyers and now we have to figure out what to do with it all. I don't want to give all the details, but it's enough money that your Dad and I could retire now and never work another day and still be totally rich. Heck, you and Ben would never have to work either." Rory explained. "We want to offer you some financial assistance. Raising a baby is expensive and we don't want you to be buried under that burden."

"That's so generous." Catherine said in amazement. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't get too excited just yet." Joel said. "We're not just going to give you a pile of cash and walk away. Your Mother and I have always felt that it's our responsibility as parents to teach you and your brother about money and financial responsibility. We've done an ok job, but to be honest we've pretty much just given you everything you ever needed no questions asked. I don't want you to feel like you're being punished now, so that's not what this is about. What we're proposing is that you do the work to figure out how much money you need and we'll either agree or not agree to give it to you. You'll need to make a budget and keep track of all your expenses. The one major exception is medical bills. I know how expensive it is for health care and I don't want you or the baby to be without it, so we'll cover all those costs no matter what they are. You don't really have control over the costs there."

"Ok, that's totally reasonable." Catherine nodded. "I've been living on a budget with Jeremy anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard to do."

"Speaking of Jeremy" Rory hesitated. "Have you thought about what you're going to do? Are you still going to go through with the divorce?"

"I don't know." Catherine sighed. "I think we for sure need to be separated until I figure it out, but I just don't know what I'm doing long term."

"We'll support you in whatever you decide Catherine." Joel nodded. "We love you." He said and hugged her while Rory also reached over and hugged her.

"Thank you both so much."

XXXXX

Catherine slowly opened the door to her and Jeremy's apartment and dragged a few boxes inside. Now that she'd decided to separate from Jeremy, she wanted to move her things out and into Luke and Lorelai's house, but didn't want to do it when he was there. She looked around the apartment and breathed a sigh of relief when she thought Jeremy wasn't there.

As Catherine was finishing packing all of her clothes, she heard the front door open. Jeremy walked into the bedroom and stopped when he saw Catherine packing.

"Cate. What are you doing here?" He asked and took his jacket off, throwing it on the floor.

"Just getting the rest of my clothes." She said and picked up one of the boxes.

"Wait, don't leave." Jeremy said and tried to grab her arm. Catherine quickly left the apartment and threw the box into her car. She went back inside to get the last box and saw Jeremy dumping her clothes out onto the floor.

"What are you doing Jeremy?"

"You're not leaving!" He yelled. "We're still legally married and I'm not allowing you to leave."

"You can't tell me what to do." Catherine scoffed. Her eyes widened when she made eye contact with him and saw the fire in his eyes. He was on some sort of drug and Catherine knew it wasn't him, but the drug talking. It scared her and her heart began to beat faster.

"I'm your husband. I can tell you whatever I like." He seethed.

"I'm leaving. You're being unreasonable." Catherine said and turned to leave before Jeremy grabbed her arm. "Let me go!" She yelled.

"No. You're staying here!" Jeremy fumed as she struggled to get free of his grip. "You can't leave me!" He said and threw her to the ground. Catherine screamed as she felt a sharp pain in her arm from the force of Jeremy's grip and hitting the ground. She cried out again as Jeremy sat on top of her waist and slapped her. "I did everything for you Cate! I changed my whole life for you, but that didn't make you happy. I hope whoever you decide to mess with next is happy with a little bitch like you!" He yelled and hit her face once more before jumping off of her and quickly leaving the apartment.

Catherine lay on the ground in shock for a moment before she started to cry. Jeremy had never been so violent before. It was like something in him had suddenly snapped. She was terrified that he would come back, so she sat up and then stood up as fast as she could. Catherine noticed blood trickling down her face and the excruciating pain in her left arm, but grabbed her purse anyway and ran to her car. All she could think of was getting as far away from there as possible before Jeremy returned. As she pulled into Luke and Lorelai's driveway, she turned the car off and slumped over the steering wheel while crying from fear and pain. A few minutes later, Will opened the car door and gasped when he saw Catherine.

"Catie? Who did this to you?" He said as he looked at her.

"Jeremy" She said and continued to cry.

"Ok, you really need to get to the hospital." Will insisted. "Can you get over to the passenger seat? I'll drive." He asked and Catherine nodded before carefully sliding across the seat. Will took off his sweatshirt and handed it to her. "Here, hold this up to your face to stop the bleeding."

Will drove as fast as possible while still being safe. He quickly parked the car once they arrived at the hospital and carried Catherine into the emergency room. After Catherine was admitted, Will waited in the waiting room until a nurse came out with some paperwork.

"Ok, how are you related to Catherine Forrester?" The nurse asked.

"I'm her uncle." Will explained.

"Really?" The nurse asked skeptically.

"Yeah, absolutely." Will said and pulled his wallet out and handed his driver's license to the nurse. "Will Danes. Catherine's mom is my sister. She's quite a bit older than me though."

The nurse studied him for a minute before giving his license back. "Ok, I believe you." She nodded.

"Why would I lie about that?" Will wondered as he took the clip board she offered.

"Whenever a woman comes in who looks like she's been beat up, we always question everyone involved; especially if a male brings her in. You'd be surprised how many abusive husbands or boyfriends lie about their relation to the woman." The nurse explained.

"That's horrible." Will said and looked down at the paperwork. "What do I do with this?"

"Just fill out as much as you can. I'll go check on your niece and come get you in a minute. You can finish the paperwork when you talk to her." The nurse said and left. She returned about five minutes later and asked Will to follow her back to where Catherine was.

Will frowned when he saw Catherine sitting on a bed with her arm bandaged and in a sling and stitches on her face. "Catie." He said and stood next to her.

"Hey Will" She said and smiled at the nurse who nodded and walk out of the room.

"Are you going to be ok?" Will asked as he turned pale.

"Sit down Will." Catherine instructed him and he sat in a chair next to her bed.

"I take it blood and hospitals and all that freak you out?" She asked and he nodded. "Well, you don't have to worry too much. I'm going to be fine and they're going to discharge me in a few minutes. My arm is broken, I've got these stitches in my face, a black eye and some bruising. It sounds worse than it really is."

"That sounds really bad." Will said. "I'm going to kill Jeremy."

"Will, don't." Catherine quickly insisted. "Just stay away from him. The doctor helped me file a police report, so just let them take care of all this."

"Fine." Will relented.

About an hour later, Catherine was released from the hospital and Will drove her back to Luke and Lorelai's place in Stars Hollow. He helped her out of the car and into the house before Lorelai heard them in the entryway.

"Will? Where have you been?" She said casually, but stopped and stared at Catherine when she saw them. "Catie? Oh my gosh, what happened!"

"Jeremy beat her up this afternoon." Will answered. "She drove here afterwards and I took her to the hospital immediately."

"What? Sweetie are you in pain?" Lorelai asked as they all walked to the living room.

"Of course she is Mom." Will said sharply. "A man beat her up."

"It's ok. They gave me pain meds at the hospital." Catherine said and winced as she slowly lay down on the couch. Lorelai sat on the floor in front of her and brushed her hair out of her face.

Lorelai waited until Will left the room before whispering what was on her mind. "Sweetie. What did they say at the hospital? Is the baby ok? Did you tell Jeremy when you saw him?"

"The baby is ok according to the doctor. They told me to go to my OB/GYN as soon as possible for another exam, but they said everything was ok. I didn't tell Jeremy." Catherine said sadly.

"Catie you need to tell him." Lorelai sighed.

"I know, but he wasn't himself today. I saw his eyes before he attacked me. I don't know what he was on, but it wasn't him in there. He needs to get help and then I'll tell him."

"Maybe you telling him about the baby will give him the motivation to get clean and sober."

"Maybe" Catherine agreed. "Where are my Mom and Dad?"

"They were hanging out with Ben and Madelyn. We're all supposed to have dinner, so they should be back soon." Lorelai said as the front door opened. "And here they are."

"Hey, we're ho-" Rory said and stopped mid sentence when she saw Catherine. "What the hell happened?" She gasped and rushed to her daughter's side with Joel, Ben, and Madelyn hot on her heels.

"Jeremy attacked her when she went to get clothes from their apartment today. Fortunately, Will took her to the hospital." Lorelai explained.

"What about the baby?" Rory blurted out.

"Baby?" Ben and Madelyn said in unison. "You're pregnant?" Ben asked and Catherine nodded in confirmation.

"Shit" Ben said and rubbed his forehead. "I can't believe this! I'm seriously going to kill Jeremy." He fumed and turned to leave before Joel grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Ben, don't." Joel said firmly.

"How can you just let this happen Dad?" Ben shouted. "First he cheats on her, then he gets her pregnant and beats her up! I'm not going to let him just get away with it."

"Don't repay violence with violence Ben." Joel said. "Trust me. It's not going to solve anything. I want to kill Jeremy too. You think it makes me happy to see my little girl being treated this way? I want to go into a rage and inflict some serious pain on Jeremy. You think I want a Grandchild right now? Of course not, but it's happening and we're all going to be supportive even if it is bad timing." Joel said without realizing the way his words sounded to Catherine.

"Thanks Dad" Catherine scoffed as tears sprang to her eyes. "Glad to know you're only being supportive out of duty." She said with hurt in her voice as she slowly started to get up off the couch.

"What? No. That's not what I meant." Joel tried to correct as he turned around to face Catherine. It was too late and the damage had been done.

"It's ok Dad. I'm just glad to hear how you really feel." Catherine said quietly while slowly walking up the stairs. Lorelai and Rory looked between Joel and Catherine with hurt in their eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Catie, wait. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that!" Joel yelled.

"Leave me alone please." Catherine said as she reached the top of the stairs and went into Abby's room.

"Shit." Joel said and sunk down to the couch and held his head in his hands.

"Did you really mean that?" Rory asked.

"No. I just said that in the heat of the moment. I shouldn't have said that." Joel said emotionally.

"I think we all need to be really careful with what we say." Lorelai told everyone. "I know that this situation is crazy, but Catherine needs everyone's support. She's facing major life changing events that are already hard enough to deal with without having family members say hurtful things."

"I'm going to go apologize." Joel said and stood up before Rory stopped him.

"Leave her alone for a while Joel. Talk to her in a little while. She's just going to be angry with you right now." Rory said.

"I think that is one of the most bone headed things I've ever said." Joel admitted while rubbing his forehead. "I can't believe I just did that."

"That was not your finest moment." Rory agreed. "I'm going to go talk with her. You guys go ahead and eat dinner." Rory said and quickly left the living room.

Rory lightly knocked on the bedroom door and entered cautiously. Catherine had burrowed herself under the blankets of the bed in a fetal position. Rory sat on the bed and sighed. She knew Catherine was being torn apart mentally, but she had to find a way to deal with her problems rather than run from them.


	30. Chapter 30

_Rory lightly knocked on the bedroom door and entered cautiously. Catherine had burrowed herself under the blankets of the bed in a fetal position. Rory sat on the bed and sighed. She knew Catherine was being torn apart mentally, but she had to find a way to deal with her problems rather than run from them._

"Catherine" Rory whispered as she slowly pulled the blankets back and stroked her hair. Neither said anything as Catherine crawled into Rory's lap. A few minutes later Rory finally spoke up, "I love you baby girl. This is a hard situation and we're not perfect. I'm really sorry that I can't just kiss your boo boo and make it all better like when you were little."

"I know." Catherine whispered and clutched Rory tighter. "I'm sorry I snapped at Dad. He didn't mean what he said. I'm just so crazy emotional that every little thing effects me."

"Welcome to being pregnant." Rory chuckled. "Dad feels really bad and he'll come apologize to you. He shouldn't have said those things. We love you and we're going to love this baby."

"I'm kind of worried that I won't love it." Catherine admitted.

"You'll love it." Rory quickly assured her. "Once you see that little baby it'll be love at first sight and nothing will ever be the same again."

"Promise?"

"Hun, I was so freaked out when I was pregnant with your brother. I didn't know anything about being a Mother and I thought I would totally screw it up. Once I heard his heartbeat and saw that first ultrasound I was completely in love. Same thing with you." Rory smiled. "When you were both born and I saw you for the first time it was incredible."

"You think it will be the same for me?"

"I'd be willing to bet some serious money." Rory nodded. "It's scary and you have no idea what to do, but I know this baby is going to be a blessing. Sure, it will be hard work, but you'll be so happy to have him or her in your life."

"Yeah, now I just have to figure it all out." Catherine sighed.

"Whatever you need, just ask ok?"

"Ok"

XXXX

Dean looked at the key in his hand and sighed. Jeremy hadn't showed up to work in two days and wasn't returning his phone calls. He stood outside Jeremy and Catherine's apartment and put the emergency key they'd given him in the lock and turned it. As Dean opened the front door he cringed at the state of the apartment. It smelled like cigarettes and gym socks. Clothes were all over the living room and the kitchen didn't look like it had been cleaned in weeks. Dean sighed and walked to the bedroom in search of his son. Jeremy was lying on the bed, fully clothed, sleeping. Dean walked over and kicked Jeremy's foot.

"Jeremy, wake up." He said. "Wake up!" Dean boomed when Jeremy didn't move.

"Guh?" Jeremy grunted and rolled over onto his back. He coughed a couple times and squinted as he looked at his Dad. "What are you doing here?"

"You haven't been at work for two days and you're not answering your cell." Dean said.

"Oh, sorry Dad. I didn't hear my phone. Where's Catherine?"

"I don't know. I thought she was here with you. From the looks of this apartment she hasn't been here in a while." Dean said and opened the bedroom window to let some fresh air in.

Jeremy was about to explain further, but there was a knock on the front door. Jeremy slowly got out of bed and wobbled toward the front door. He opened it to reveal two police officers.

"Jeremy Forrester?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"You're under arrest for assault and battery." One officer said and started to hand cuff Jeremy.

"Whoa. What?" Jeremy asked. "I've been here sleeping all night. I think you've got the wrong guy."

"No sir. We just finished investigating a report filed by your wife when she was at the hospital yesterday."

"What? Catie was at the hospital?" Jeremy gasped. "Is she ok? Where is she now?"

"I think you know all about this Mr. Forrester. We're not going to tell you where she is so you can go and beat her up again." The other officer said as they both hand cuffed Jeremy.

"I didn't hit her!" Jeremy insisted. "I can home from work yesterday and went to bed. I didn't do anything!" He yelled as the police dragged him toward their car and drove off.

Dean stood alone in the apartment in shock as he thought about what had just happened. _Could it be true?_ He thought and looked down at the floor only to notice a few blood stains on the carpet. He looked around the room again and realized that it looked like a fight had occurred and it was only a woman's clothing all over the room. Dean really hoped Jeremy had done what the police just said he did, but he couldn't be sure. So, he quickly left the apartment and drove back to Stars Hollow. He walked to Luke and Lorelai's house and knocked on the door.

"Dean" Rory said as she answered the door.

"Rory, I've just been over to Jeremy and Catherine's apartment. Jeremy's pretty hung over and the police came to arrest him. They said he's being charged with assault."

"Good. He should be punished for what he did." Rory said and crossed her arms.

"That's why I came here. What did he do?" Dean asked.

"Come see for yourself." Rory said and waved Dean into the house. Catherine was sitting on the couch in the living room watching a movie and looked up when she saw Dean.

"Oh my gosh" Dean gasped when he saw Catherine. "What happened? Did Jeremy do that?"

Catherine didn't say anything, but nodded in confirmation as Dean walked closer to her.

"I'm so sorry Catie. I don't know why Jeremy did this, but he is seriously going to pay for his actions." Dean said.

"He sure as hell is." Rory agreed. "This is bad Dean. She could have lost the baby!"

"Baby?" Dean frowned.

"Surprise." Catherine said sadly. "You're going to be a Grandpa."

"Really? Wow. That's just wow." Dean said and sat down on the couch. "Wow. You're going to have a baby."

"Yes" Catherine nodded.

"Jeremy did this to you while you're pregnant? What was he thinking?"

"He wasn't himself Dean." Catherine said. "And he doesn't know about the baby. I'd appreciate if you'd just keep it to yourself."

"You have to tell him"

"No, I don't. He needs to get his life together before that happens. I'd rather this kid have no father than one who's a violent drug addict." Catherine said.

"I understand." Dean nodded. "I won't tell Jeremy, but I'm sure as hell going to make him get his life together. This is completely unacceptable." Dean fumed before calming back down. "Catie, I want you to know that I'll be here if Jeremy isn't. I don't think it's fair that you have to do this all on your own because Jeremy's being an ass. I'll help you with whatever you need. I'll take responsibility if Jeremy won't."

"That's nice of you to offer Dean, but we've got it all under control." Rory said.

"No Mom. He can help if he wants to. It's his Grandchild too." Catherine said. "Dean, you could help out right now by helping Jeremy get clean and sober."

"Ok, I'll do my best." Dean nodded. "I'll go down to the police station and see what's going on."

"Thanks Dean" Catherine said and hugged him.

"You're welcome" He said before leaving the house.

"Mom, you seriously need to stop being so rude to the Forresters." Catherine said. "Every time you talk to Dean or Jeremy you have this snotty attitude or tone in your voice. Just let them be. Whatever happened in the past with you and Dean is over now. You've both moved on."

"Ok, I'm sorry." Rory said. "You're right. I should be nicer to them."

"Good. Now, let's get some ice cream." Catherine smiled and slowly stood up from the couch.

XXXXX

"Patrick, I'm dying here. Tell me how the date went!" Lorelai asked Patrick as they ate breakfast at Luke's.

"It went well." Patrick nodded.

"More details please?"

"Ok, I picked her up and we went out to a nice dinner in Hartford. It was some fancy place where Martha knew the chef. After dinner we walked around downtown for a while and then got ice cream on our way back to Stars Hollow. I took her back to her parents' house and kissed her goodnight. That was it." Patrick explained.

"Sounds like a nice date." Lorelai nodded. "Will there be a second date?"

"Yes. We're going to go to the beach with Jacob next weekend." Patrick said.

"Very nice." Lorelai said. "It's not easy dating when you have a kid, but Jacob's so little that it's a bit easier. Martha seems to really like Jacob."

"She does. She's the one who suggested we take him with us to the beach."

"So that must mean that Martha likes kids."

"Yes."

"Good." Lorelai nodded. "She'd make a great Mother for Jacob."

Patrick slowly nodded while thinking about the subject. "It would be nice if Jacob had a Mom. At least, more than just a woman who gave birth to him and then abandoned him."

"It would be nice for you to have someone too." Lorelai said quietly. "I don't want you to be lonely forever."

"I'm not lonely." Patrick frowned.

"I've seen the look in your eye when you see happy couples around town Patrick. You want that too. I know it."

"Might be nice someday." He shrugged.

"I can see you and Martha being really happy together." Lorelai noted. "I can see you two having a nice big family too."

"You are seriously obsessed with having a ton of Grandchildren." Patrick said and rolled his eyes.

"It's party your fault you know. You made such a cute little Grandson for me that now I want more!"

"Oh thank goodness, here come Sam and Jenny with Jacob." Patrick said and pointed to the trio walking toward the diner.

"You really don't like it when I even vaguely discuss sex, do you?" Lorelai laughed as Patrick cringed.

Patrick stood up and opened the door for Sam, Jenny, and Jacob as they entered. Jacob was smiling and clinging to Sam's neck while Sam held onto him with one arm and held Jenny's hand with the other.

"Did you make a new friend Jacob?" Patrick asked as he tried to take Jacob from Sam, but Jacob just shook his head and held onto Sam tighter. "What? You don't like your old Dad anymore?" Patrick said and stuck out his lower lip while Jenny laughed.

"Those two are best friends now." She explained. "I made Sam feed Jacob dinner last night and then they played for a while before Jacob fell asleep on Sam's chest while we all watched a movie on the couch. I think they understand each other now."

"Geez" Sam grumbled. He pulled Jacob away and handed him over to Patrick. "Time to go back to Daddy" Sam smiled.

"Hi Bud." Patrick smiled and kissed the top of Jacob's head. "You want to ditch me now and move in with your Aunt and Uncle?"

"Oh I think we'll have our hands full soon enough." Jenny joked and rubbed her small belly.

"Sounds like you're stuck with me then." Patrick said to Jacob and smiled when Jacob leaned forward and rested his head on Patrick's shoulder.

"Hey, don't go getting tired yet little man." Lorelai said and stood behind Patrick to talk to Jacob. "We've got a fun day of playing scheduled. Do I need to put some coffee in a sippy cup for you?"

"Do not give my son coffee. He's too young." Patrick said and turned around to face his Mother.

"Ok, fine." Lorelai sighed.

XXXXX

David took a deep breath as he walked into Luke's diner in search of Luke. He swallowed the lump in his throat when Luke walked out of the kitchen and began making a fresh pot of coffee. David stood at the counter for a minute before clearing his throat.

"Excuse me sir?" He said quietly.

Luke looked over his shoulder and noticed David standing at the counter, looking a little sick. "Can I help you?"

"I, uh, wanted to talk to you sir." David chocked out.

"Ok, what about?" Luke frowned.

"Uh, about Abby, sir."

"Ok. What about her?"

"I, uh…"

"Spit it out kid." Luke grunted. "I don't have all day."

"I want you to know that I'm serious about her and I care about her a lot." David said quickly.

"Are you asking what I think you're asking?" Luke frowned as David looked at him in confusion. "You said you're serious about her. How serious? Marriage serious?"

"What? No." David said. "I mean, I don't know, maybe someday, but not now."

"Good." Luke nodded. "She's too young to get married and you've only been dating for a little while."

"I know sir. I'm planning on getting to know Abby more before we get too serious."

"But you just said you were serious about her."

"I mean, I'm not going to hurt her. I seriously care a lot about her." David tried to clarify.

"So, you don't really want to get too serious then?"

"Well, I don't know, maybe." David said and began to sweat. "I just want you to know that I'm not going to break her heart."

"Ok, thank for letting me know David." Luke nodded and went back into the kitchen. David smiled nervously before quickly exiting the diner and tripping on his way out.

Miss Patty and Babette had witnessed the entire exchange and laughed at David's fear of Luke. "That poor boy" Miss Patty laughed.

"Luke give the kid a break!" Babetted yelled toward the kitchen.

XXXXX

Catherine looked at herself in the mirror and carefully touched the stitches on her cheek. The swelling had gone down and the bruising was beginning to heal, but the wound still looked bad. Her arm still hurt; no change there. Catherine slowly lifted her shirt to reveal her flat stomach. It looked exactly the same and she didn't really feel different, but her body was about to go through a major change. _Maybe this is like the calm before the storm_ Catherine thought to herself as she lowered her shirt and sighed. She slowly left the bathroom and wandered down the stairs to find her Grandmother drinking coffee in the kitchen.

"Hi Sweetie. Did you sleep ok?" Lorelai asked and smiled at her.

"Yeah, just fine. I really appreciate Abby continuing to let me use her room. Are you sure she doesn't mind the couch?"

"It's really no trouble." Lorelai assured her.

"She's been very generous; letting me use her room and borrow clothes. I should probably figure out how to get my clothes back and maybe get some new ones." Catherine frowned.

"We can work something out. Maybe one of your uncles will go get your stuff later today. It's probably best that you don't go to the apartment right now."

"I agree." Catherine nodded. "Hey, do you think you could give me a ride to the doctor today? I scheduled an appointment, but forgot that I shouldn't really drive with my arm all messed up."

"Oh, yeah, no problem at all. We'll make a day of it." Lorelai smiled. "After the doctor we'll go out to lunch and swing by the mall to pick out a few new things."

"Yeah, but not too many things. I'm not going to be able to wear my regular clothes in a little while." Catherine said sadly and looked at the ground.

"Don't be sad Catie. We're not going to be sad about this baby. Sure it wasn't planned, but we're going to celebrate a new addition to the family, regardless of the circumstances." Lorelai said firmly before hugging Catherine. "Now, go grab your coat and we'll go."

"Thanks Grandma." Catherine smiled and did as she was instructed.

After a serious doctor appointment, Lorelai made sure that Catherine enjoyed herself the rest of the day. They went out to a nice lunch and Lorelai bought Catherine a few new outfits. As they drove back to Stars Hollow Catherine asked Lorelai to pull the car off the road.

"Grandma, can we pull over. Just stop in the parking lot of that park."

"Sure sweets. Are you ok? Do you feel sick?" Lorelai asked as she parked the car.

"I'm fine. I want to talk with you about something." Catherine began. "I don't exactly know the whole story, but you were really young when you had my Mom, so I thought maybe you'd be good to talk to. I know our circumstances are different, but it's sort of similar. Mom suggested I talk to Jenny about pregnancy stuff and what I'm feeling, but she's in a very different situation. I can't really relate to her on an emotional level."

"I get what you're saying. What would you like to talk about?" Lorelai asked while reaching over to hold Catherine's hand.

"I don't know what to do with the help that Mom and Dad are offering me. It's very generous and I'm so happy they're wanting to help, but I don't want to live off of them forever. I'm an adult and I need to live with the consequences of my actions." Catherine explained. "Mom also asked me to move back to Seattle. She suggested that I transfer schools and start over fresh."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know. Part of me feels like it's a good idea and it makes sense, but what would I do about Jeremy seeing the baby?"

"So you've for sure decided to tell him?"

"I don't know. I just thinking that if I do tell him, he should have the opportunity to be close to the baby. He's going to have to make an effort on his own, but I don't think I'd stop him from knowing his child." Catherine said and sighed. "I don't know why I'm even thinking about that right now."

"Because you still love him." Lorelai answered. "Catie, you are an amazing young woman and you've got a bright future in front of you. I know what it's like to have a speed bump in your life, but it doesn't have to be a bad thing. My life has been so amazing and I don't know that it would've been if Rory hadn't come along when she did. You'll figure out what's the right thing to do. I have faith in you."

"But how do I go to college and take care of a baby? I'm starting to reconsider my plans to become a lawyer. I'd have to do law school after I finish my undergrad. That's a lot of time to go without a full time job."

"Yes it is, but you have something I didn't have." Lorelai pointed out. "Your parents have been very upfront and supportive. They've offered to pay for your school and support you. You have the financial and family backing that I didn't have when I was raising Rory."

"I don't want to live my life in debt to my Mom and Dad though. At some point I need to support myself." Catherine insisted.

"You'll be more than able to do that once you graduate from law school. You'll get a great job."

"But who will take care of the baby while I'm going to school and working?"

"We will. If you're at Yale, you can commute there while living at mine and Grandpa's house. We can watch the baby during the day and I'm sure we can find help when we need it." Lorelai offered. "We already watch Jacob during the day, so it will be like we're opening a daycare." Lorelai smiled.

"Thank you Grandma." Catherine said with tears in her eyes. "You have been so generous and supportive. I love you and am so grateful for everything."

"You're welcome Catie. I've sort of been in your shoes, so I know how hard it is. I just want you to know how much we all love you." Lorelai smiled. "Now, let's get back to Stars Hollow. We need to show that sonogram picture off to everyone."

"It is pretty amazing." Catherine smiled and took the picture out of her purse while Lorelai started the car and drove back to Stars Hollow.

Once they arrive home, Lorelai put the sonogram picture on the refrigerator with a sticky note that said "Favorite Great Grandchild" and an arrow pointing to the little baby in the picture.


	31. Chapter 31

**AN: Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the reviewers! You're words of encouragement make my day! I would seriously take you all out for coffee if I could. **

XXXXX

Dean pulled Jeremy by the collar into his apartment. Dean had paid Jeremy's bail to get him out of jail until he had to appear in court to resolve the case. Dean slammed the front door of the apartment as Jeremy sat on the couch.

"What is wrong with you?" Dean boomed. Jeremy didn't say anything, so Dean sat on the coffee table in front of his son. "This is big shit! You're so messed up that you beat your wife. I don't even know who you are anymore Jeremy. You didn't used to be the kind of man who would beat his wife. What drugs are you on?"

"Does it matter?" Jeremy said while looking down at the floor.

"Do you even realize how serious this is? You could lose your wife. Don't you care about Catherine at all anymore?"

"Of course I care about her" Jeremy snapped and looked his Dad in the eyes. "I'd do anything for her."

"Then you need to get clean." Dean said firmly. "I saw Catherine today. She doesn't look too good. I think she's planning to walk away if you don't get your act together real soon. I wouldn't even blame her either. A husband isn't supposed to hit his wife or cheat on her Jeremy."

"I don't even remember doing it!"

Dean had enough and slapped Jeremy's face. "You were too high to even realize it. Why are you doing drugs anyway? If something is bothering you, talk to Catherine or go to a therapist. You can't just drink your life away or do drugs to dull the pain. That's not going to solve anything and in your case it's just causing more problems. I can't trust you at work if you're not clean and sober. I'm going to have to let you go."

"What? You're here yelling at me and now you're firing me?"

"You know I don't tolerate drugs and alcohol on my crews. Jeremy you said you want to take over the company some day. You need to set an example for everyone else if you want to do that and you're not right now. I can't have you be a part of the company anymore. If you clean yourself up and can prove to me that you've made a permanent change, I'll hire you back."

"This is so unfair."

"No it's not." Dean scoffed. "What's unfair is how you're treating Catherine."

"She's my wife, why does everyone else have to get involved!" Jeremy yelled and stood up.

"You're acting like an ass, that's why." Dean boomed and pushed Jeremy. Before either of them were aware of what was happening, they were engaged in a fist fight in the middle of the living room. Dean eventually pinned Jeremy down to the ground and pushed his face into the carpet. "You're completely out of control. If you're going to save your marriage, you have to get control of your life!"

Jeremy struggled to get out of Dean's grip, but finally relaxed and Dean eased up a bit as Jeremy began to explain himself. "Catherine and I have some serious issues we need to resolve. I'll admit that I'm probably more at fault than she is, but we really need to work on our communication. I can't keep fighting with her over stupid little things and having her not say anything when something bothers me."

"Did you ever think that she's afraid of you?"

"Why would she be?"

"You go into a rage all the time, of course she's scared of you." Dean said and allowed Jeremy to sit up on the floor. "What about the affair? What the hell was that all about?"

"That was a mistake." Jeremy said and hung his head. "I just got caught up in the drugs and then this girl threw herself at me. I should have said no and told Catherine about it."

"Jeremy, I doubt Catherine would have been angry if you said a girl was attracted to you or made a pass at you. She might have even thought it was kind of funny. Where you completely screwed up was not stopping the attraction and allowing it to turn into an affair. You really hurt Catherine and betrayed her. You have to be really messed up to do that to your wife. I wouldn't be surprised if she just walked away from you."

"I know." Jeremy agreed sadly. "I've screwed up so bad and I don't know how to fix it. How do I fix this?"

"Well, I think you need to deal with the police first. You'll have to go to court to face the charges. However, I think it would be really good for you to come up with a plan of action. If you're willing to get clean and sober, maybe you can convince the judge to send you to treatment rather than jail."

"Jail?"

"Yes, it's that serious." Dean insisted. "You beat Catie up really bad."

"I honestly don't remember last night at all." Jeremy said. "I can't believe I did that."

"That's why you need to get clean."

"Ok" Jeremy nodded. "I want to get my life back. I want to work for you, take over the company, and get Catherine back. I know we've had a rocky marriage, but I'd like to fix it."

"I'll look into some treatment programs and see what options are available to you." Dean nodded.

XXXXX

The Danes family reacted to Catherine's pregnancy with mixed feelings, but everyone agreed to support her. The boys and Luke wanted to kill Jeremy even more than they already did, but Lorelai convinced them all to stand down. Ben and Madelyn continued to get closer and Ben decided to stay in Stars Hollow for the summer. Rory and Joel were really reluctant about him being so far from his doctors, but Ben discussed the situation with his doctors and they agreed that it would be ok and found a doctor for him to see in Hartford. He moved in with Madelyn and she gave him a job at Weston's, which also seemed a little strange to Rory and Joel, but Ben was happy so they didn't say anything.

Rory and Joel decided that they needed to return to Seattle after the weekend and return back to their jobs. They really wanted to be in Stars Hollow with Catherine, but they couldn't ignore their other responsibilities. They promised to visit again in a couple weeks and to call every night.

Joel walked into the guest bedroom and kissed Rory before sitting next to her on the bed. Rory set down the book she was reading and smiled at him.

"There has been something on my mind the last couple days." Joel began as Rory listened. "I feel like we're so far away from Catherine in Seattle. She seems to want to stay here and Ben is staying for the summer, so it'll be just you and I in Seattle."

"I know, it kind of makes me sad, but we have to go back. You have your job and I have classes to teach and my PhD to work on."

"I was kind of considering moving here." Joel blurted out.

"What? Are you serious?" Rory said in shock.

"I haven't thought it all the way through, but I makes sense. Your family is here and it seems like Ben and Catherine want to be here."

"It's a great idea, but I'm not sure about our jobs."

"I love working at the hotel in Seattle, but I've been talking to Patrick and it sounds like his business may be a really great new job for me. I could still do the work I love, but would have the freedom to work in a bigger company and do more on the management side. I know I haven't really talked about it, but I think The Danes Group would be a good investment for some of your inheritance money. Plus, I think Patrick is sort of having a hard time with financing the venture." Joel explained.

"Wow, you've really thought about this."

"Yeah. The only thing I haven't really figured out is your job. I know you could find another college to teach at, but I want you to love your job."

"I guess I could start looking at places and see if anything interests me." Rory nodded. "I think exploring the idea of us moving to Stars Hollow is definitely on the table."

"Good. I think we could be just as happy here as we are in Seattle." Joel said.

"Me too. I only have one request though. I think we should just keep this between the two of us for now. I don't want everyone to get their hopes up and then be disappointed if it doesn't work out the way they want."

"Sounds good to me." Joel agreed. "Hey, what do you think about buying a house here?"

"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?"

"No, I meant a second home or vacation home. We're going to be coming here a lot and it would be nice to have our own space."

"You mean so my Mom doesn't hear us having sex and embarrass us by discussing it?"

"Exactly" Joel smiled.

"Let's go house hunting right now!" Rory joked.

XXXXX

"Catie, you have to tell Jeremy you're pregnant." Patrick said as he joined her on the back porch.

"I don't know that he should be involved in this." She responded.

"I've sort of been in his shoes and it really sucks Catie." Patrick sighed. "I completely missed out on the first three months of Jacob's life. Sure in the span of time that's not a whole lot, but it's a long time when you're talking about a child. I really wish Kelly would have told me she was pregnant from the moment she found out. Even if all I could do was be around and satisfy her midnight food cravings, at least I would be there. I didn't get to see Jacob be born. That's not something I'll ever get back. I didn't get to hold him as a newborn and see him open his eyes for the first time. There are so many things that I missed out on simply because Jacob's Mom didn't tell me. I love Jacob and I'm so happy I have him now, but I can't make up for what's happened in the past. Please don't do that to Jeremy."

"I didn't think you liked Jeremy."

"To be honest, I don't really. However, I don't think that means he should be deprived of knowing his Child. It's just not right Catie." Patrick said.

"I'm still thinking about it." Catherine said. "Part of me feels like it would just be easiest to sever all ties with him and raise the baby on my own. Another part says that I should stay with him because of the baby. Yet another part says I should keep going with the divorce, but let him know about the baby and allow him to be a father."

"Whatever you do make sure Jeremy knows and has an opportunity to be a father." Patrick said and stood up. "I'm not going to push you to do anything, but I needed to say my peace. I love you and I'll always support you."

"Thanks Patrick." Catherine smiled and stood up to hug him before he went back inside.

XXXXX

The Danes family gathered together in Luke and Lorelai's backyard for a summer evening barbeque and game of football. Lorelai insisted that the family come together for dinner at least once a week no matter how busy their schedules got. Over the years, the night of the week had changed, but now seemed to permanently rest on Friday night.

This particular Friday night found Luke cooking over the barbeque while Patrick, Will, Sam, Jonathan, Ben, Joel, David, Abby, Martha, and Madelyn played touch football. Lorelai, Rory, Jenny, and Catherine sat on the porch and watched, occasionally providing commentary. Lorelai held Jacob on her lap and smiled as he watched Patrick intently while clapping his hands every time Patrick had the football.

"Where's Adam?" Rory asked as she noticed his absence.

Lorelai shook her head as she explained, "Chelsea dumped him last weekend. He's been out drinking with his buddies every night since."

"Oh, poor guy. He really loved her didn't he?"

"Yes. Luke said that Adam wanted to propose to Chelsea on their next anniversary. He was crazy about her. I guess she didn't really feel the same way."

"That's so awful." Rory sighed. "Is Adam going to be ok?"

"I think so. He's just been out blowing off steam." Lorelai said. "I'm not too worried about him though. He's got a good friend, Doug, that's been keeping an eye on him and driving him home every night. I think Adam will be ok in a couple days."

"I feel so bad for him." Rory frowned.

"I know, so do Luke and I. We both wish there was something we could do to help."

"I still can't believe you let him out of Friday night dinner." Jenny commented.

"I think being heartbroken is a good reason." Lorelai sighed.

"True." Jenny agreed. "Poor guy."

"Looks like Martha is going to give Patrick a run for his money." Rory said as she watched Martha tackle Patrick.

"He's totally in love with her already." Lorelai agreed. "I think they've liked each other for a while, but the timing has never been right. Sookie is so excited about the idea of them being together."

"I like Martha and I really like the idea of her and Patrick." Catherine added.

"She's really good with Jacob too." Lorelai said and pointed to Martha while Jacob grunted and smiled. "Jacob certainly has the Danes men grunt down."

"I think I heard him say 'Geez' the other day." Jenny smiled and took Jacob from Lorelai.

"Ok, we've got someone for Patrick, which other Danes boys can we hook up." Lorelai smiled.

"What about the Danes girl?" Rory asked.

"I think she may be taken." Lorelai said. "See how David's looking at her while they're playing football?"

"Another one bites the dust." Rory joked.

"Hey, Sam's taken too." Jenny reminded them. "If I wasn't pregnant, I'd be out there too."

"Ben's got Madelyn." Rory added. "I have Joel."

"So that leaves Will, Jonathan, and now Adam." Catherine noted.

"Jonathan is completely against my meddling with his love life." Lorelai said. "I'm not sure if it's because he really does want to focus on school or if he has his eye on a girl and isn't saying anything right now."

"I swear, the way the Danes men are when they like a girl." Rory said and shook her head. "They hesitate so much and wait forever!"

"Tell me about it." Lorelai agreed.

"Hey, Sam was a fast mover when we started dating." Jenny said.

"But you two dated forever before getting married." Lorelai noted.

"I was in high school most of that time." Jenny pointed out.

"That is true. At least he let it be known that he was interested. Hopefully Patrick won't take too long to settle down with Martha." Rory said.

"I think he's afraid of getting his heart broken." Lorelai observed.

"They'll figure it out on their own." Jenny assured everyone. "They just have to give it time. Besides, they're both young, so they have time."

"I guess. I just want more Grandbabies." Lorelai sighed.

"Oh my gosh!" Jenny groaned. "Lorelai, you're seriously obsessed with having more Grandchildren. Sam and I are doing our part sooner than expected and Catherine's providing a Great-Grandchild. I think that's enough for now." She laughed.

"But-"

"Mom" Rory groaned. "You better be careful what you wish for."

"Fine." Lorelai pouted and took Jacob back. "You want a lot of little cousins don't you Jacob?" She whispered in his ear while everyone shook their heads and laughed at Lorelai.

XXXXX

**AN: Thanks for reading and please review! I really would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Just an FYI…the next two weeks are going to be really busy for me, so updates will be slow. However, I'll work on some nice long chapters after life gets back to normal. Thanks for understanding. **


	32. Chapter 32

**AN: Hey! I'm back! Did you miss me? Lol Here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it!**

XXXXX

Dean worked with Jeremy to sort out his legal and emotional problems as Jeremy's court date drew near. Catherine hadn't spoken directly to Jeremy, but had spoken to Dean a few times. Catherine wrote a letter to the judge asking to get Jeremy treatment rather than jail time. After reading Catherine's letter, hearing what Jeremy had to say, and receiving a promise from Dean, the judge agreed that Jeremy should get treatment instead of jail time.

Jeremy went to a month long treatment program and was released to continue seeing a therapist to work through his issues. Dean picked him up and took him back to his house. Jeremy protested, but Dean insisted that he not go right back into his old ways. With no one living at the apartment, Ben helped Catherine move all of her stuff out and end the lease with the landlord.

Catherine wasn't sure how she felt about giving up her and Jeremy's home, but she knew it was the right thing to do since they weren't using it. Luke and Lorelai agreed and at her request helped her find a good divorce lawyer. Since neither of them had any significant amount of money it was fairly simple for the lawyer to sort everything out and draw up the paperwork. Catherine just wanted it to be over with and didn't want anything from Jeremy. The papers were soon sent over to Dean's house for Jeremy to sign and then the divorce would be final.

A week after the papers were sent out, Jeremy still hadn't signed then, so Catherine decided that she should go talk to him. Ben went with her just in case Jeremy got out of hand, but he agreed to wait in the next room and let Catherine speak to Jeremy in private.

"Jeremy" Catherine said as they finally sat alone together in the living room.

"Cate" He said while looking down at the floor.

"Why haven't you signed the divorce papers? Didn't you get them?"

"I got them." Jeremy nodded. "Is a divorce really what you want?"

"What other options are their?"

"I know I've been a lousy husband Cate. I'm really sorry. You don't deserve that." Jeremy said and sighed. "I know I don't deserve it, but I was sort of wondering if I could have a second chance? I don't want you to pretend like the past didn't happen, but I was hoping you'd agree to hold off on the divorce for a little while. Maybe we could get to know each other again and I could show you that I've changed."

"I don't know Jeremy. I think there has just been too much bad in the past. I don't think I can ever get over some of the things that have happened." Catherine said. "I'll consider it I guess, but I can't make any promises. I'll give it a few days."

"Thank you." Jeremy said with relief in his voice.

"Jeremy, I wanted to meet up with you because there is something else we have to talk about." Catherine said. "Don't say anything yet. Please let me get this out." Catherine said and Jeremy nodded in agreement. "I didn't really come to talk only about the divorce. I've recently received some life altering news and it really threw me. It affects you too, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm pregnant."

"What?" Jeremy said as his face turned white. "Mine?"

"Yes, it's yours" Catherine rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, I haven't been with anyone else since we got together."

"There you go again." Jeremy sighed. "I'm the sinner and you're the saint."

"Jeremy, I really don't want to fight right now." Catherine insisted.

"What do we do?"

"I don't know. I want to keep the baby and raise it. I'm willing to do it on my own."

"I should help. It's my responsibility too." Jeremy said. "How do you feel?"

"Ok" Catherine lied. "Ok, completely overwhelmed."

"Does this change your plans for college or your future?"

"I'm not sure. My entire life, I was always told that I could do whatever I wanted. My Mom told me if I saw something I wanted to do, that I should pursue it. She always said 'if you want to be a doctor, go out and be a doctor. Don't let anything stop you.' I believed her. I got this idea of being a lawyer in my head and just went out and tried to do it. Now I don't know if that's what I should do. Heck, I don't know if I can do it!" Catherine said honestly to Jeremy. "My whole life is changing, shifting. I'm not sure of anything anymore."

"Wait, you knew about the baby and you still want the divorce?"

"Yes" Catherine said quietly.

"You'd rather be a single parent than stay married to me?" Jeremy said with hurt evident in his voice.

"I'm not trying to hurt you on purpose Jeremy. I'm just doing what I think is best for me and the baby. I won't raise a child with an abusive drug addict husband."

"I've changed." Jeremy pleaded.

"I don't know that. I can't just trust you and then have you fly into a rage again. I'd never forgive myself if I let my baby get hurt." Catherine said.

"It's my baby too."

"I know. I'm not going to keep the baby from you."

"Fine." Jeremy said coldly. "Do you mind if I cut this meeting short? I'd like to think about all this."

"Sure. Call me when you'd like to talk again." Catherine said before yelling to Ben that it was time to leave.

As they walked back to Luke and Lorelai's house, Ben put his arm around Catherine's shoulders. "You did good Catie. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks Ben."

"It's probably not going to be easy sorting things out with Jeremy, but I want you to know that I'll always be here to help. I don't know anything about babies, but I'll learn if I have to. I'll be 'cool uncle Ben' that is always there for school events and helps with homework."

"And you could teach him or her how to make awesome rice."

"Huh?"

"Uncle Ben's Rice." Catherine smiled.

Ben shook his head. "You're always thinking about food, aren't you?"

"Speaking of food, let's go get a milkshake at Grandpa's!" Catherine exclaimed as they began to walk by Luke's.

Ben just rolled his eyes and opened the door of the diner as they walked in and Luke greeted them.

XXXXX

Rory was running behind for her phone date with Catherine and rushed home as fast as possible. She'd been held up after class by questions from students, which was fine, but had taken longer than usual tonight. Rory drove down the street and slowly pulled into the driveway of her house before parking the car in the garage and rushing inside.

"Lucy, I'm home!" Rory joked as she kicked off her heels and dumped her purse near the front door.

"Kitchen!" Joel answered. He smiled and greeted her with a kiss as she entered. Still clad in an apron, he turned and retrieved a glass of red wine and a small plate with appetizers.

"Wow. This is a nice greeting." Rory smiled and drank a sip of the wine. "What do we have here?" She asked while looking at the appetizers.

"Warm figs with goat cheese and honey drizzled on top." Joel said and handed her the plate.

Rory quickly ate one of the figs and smiled when she tasted how good it was. "This is amazing Joel. We already had dinner though."

"I know, but I thought you could use a good snack after a long class. Plus, you'll need something to snack on while you talk to Catherine." He said before starting to clean up the kitchen.

"Are you going to talk to her too?"

"I can't. I've got to get to bed. I have a really early day tomorrow." Joel said before starting the dish washer and hanging up his apron. "Tell Catherine I love her and I'll call her tomorrow."

"I will. Thanks for the snacks. You spoil me too much."

"Love you. Goodnight." Joel said and kissed Rory before heading to bed.

Rory took the rest of the snacks and her glass of wine into the living room before settling into a comfortable position on the couch and pulling a blanket over her legs. She grabbed the phone from its cradle and dialed Catherine's cell phone.

"mmm…hello?" Catherine mumbled as she answered the phone.

"Hi sweets. Sorry, did I wake you?"

"I must have fallen asleep." Catherine said and yawned.

"I can call you back in the morning."

"No, it's fine." Catherine insisted. "What are you up to tonight?"

"I taught a class and then came home. Your Dad had warm figs and goat cheese waiting for me and a nice glass of red wine."

"I thought you sounded relaxed. Can Dad come back and cook for me?"

"We'll be back for another visit in a couple of weeks." Rory assured her. "Dad went to bed early, but he said to tell you that he loves you."

"I love him too."

"What did you do today?"

"Not a whole lot. I've felt sick all day, so I stayed close to the house."

"ahh morning sickness." Rory sighed.

"I saw Jeremy"

"oh, how did that go?"

"It was ok. I took Ben with me just in case Jeremy got upset. Jeremy was fine. He doesn't want to get a divorce and wants me to think about trying to reconcile. I told him I'd think about it." Catherine said.

"Really? What's left to think about?"

"The baby"

"You're thinking of staying with Jeremy for the sake of the baby?"

"Maybe" Catherine said slowly. "I don't know. I don't think so. If I stayed with Jer just for the baby, I don't think I'd be happy. We'd just end up getting divorced later. I'd rather not put the baby through a divorce when he or she is older."

"Did you tell Jeremy about the baby?"

"Yes. I thought he deserved to know."

"Ok, well I can respect that. What was his reaction?"

"Shock, mainly." Catherine said and sighed. "He wants to be responsible and help with the baby. After he recovered from hearing the news, he asked about the divorce. I told him I still wanted the divorce. He wasn't too happy about that, but said we should discuss it later."

"You've both got a lot to think about." Rory agreed. "You know, your Dad and I have been talking a lot about how we can help you with the baby."

"Ok"

"We want you to consider moving back to Seattle Catherine." Rory said.

"Mom, I don't know. What about school?"

"I want you to get away from Jeremy. You can go to school out here. It will be much easier to help you if you're here with us."

"What about Grandma and Grandpa? They've offered to help. I actually have a lot of support here. You and Dad work a lot, so I wouldn't actually have as much help in Seattle as I would in Stars Hollow."

"Well, we just want you to think about it."

"I will. I've got a lot to think about, so I'll add it to the list." Catherine said before yawning. "Sorry Mom, but I'm super tired. Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Goodnight and sweet dreams."

"Goodnight."

XXXXX

"We have a problem" Abby said and slumped onto a barstool in the kitchen while Lorelai poured her a cup of coffee. Lorelai put her hands on her hips and looked at Abby before she continued. "David doesn't drink coffee."

"Come again?" Lorelai said and shook her head in confusion.

"David doesn't drink coffee."

"Whoa" Lorelai said with wide eyes.

"I know. He's been drinking tea this whole time and telling me that he's already had enough coffee for the day when I offer him some." Abby explained.

"Whoa." Lorelai said again and held her hands up.

"I think I seriously need to reevaluate the relationship."

"Yeah, I think so." Lorelai said seriously. "How is that ever going to work? Is he completely opposed to coffee?"

"We actually had a long talk about it." Abby began. "His Mom didn't drink a whole lot of coffee and wouldn't let him drink it as a teenager so he never developed a taste for it. He's not opposed to it at all, but does think I'm a little too crazy for coffee."

"You have to break up with him." Lorelai joked.

"The thought did cross my mind at first." Abby said seriously. "Then he explained that he'd try drinking coffee for me and wouldn't inhibit my coffee drinking ways as long as I didn't give him too much grief for being a coffee wimp."

"Oh, that's not too bad."

"Yup."

"So then you kissed and made up?"

"Yes" Abby smiled.

"More information than I wanted to know" Lorelai joked.

"Just kissing" Abby clarified and rolled her eyes.

"Good. It's good to take things slow at first. Spend time getting to know each other."

"We are." Abby explained. "I really like David. He's a good guy and has a good heart."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Abby smiled. "I think I love him."

"Wow. That's serious." Lorelai agreed.

"It is. I'm just not really sure how to convey my seriousness to David." Abby frowned. "He knows I really like him, but I don't know how to tell him I love him without freaking him out."

"You don't want to tell him you love him if it's too soon." Lorelai nodded. "Could scare him off if you say it and he isn't ready to reciprocate."

"Exactly" Abby sighed. "When do I know when the right time is?"

"You'll just know, hun. You'll feel it." Lorelai smiled and put her hand over Abby's. "I'm so excited for you." She added. "David may be 'the one'."

"I know" Abby smiled. "It's amazing, but also a little scary. We're both so young. I wonder if maybe we're rushing things or it's just puppy love. I don't want to get married too soon."

"Whoa, hold on." Lorelai said and grabbed Abby's wrist. "You're already thinking about marrying David?"

"Yeah. Is that crazy?"

"Not crazy, but it just seems really fast. You can wait to get married."

"Oh, I don't think we'll actually get married soon." Abby clarified. "I just think we may sometime in the future, if David wants to."

"Making sure David wants to get married would be a good idea." Lorelai laughed. "Seriously though, if you are thinking of marrying David, I think that's great. David's a nice guy and seems to care about you a lot."

"I'm glad you think so. I think David's afraid of Dad."

"Doesn't surprise me." Lorelai smiled. "I heard that David went into the diner to talk to your Dad and he was so nervous he was visibly shaking."

"Poor guy. Is there something I could say to Dad to get him to back off a little?"

"Probably not. Sweetie, you're his only daughter and his youngest child. Dad's always going to be overprotective of you no matter how old you are." Lorelai explained. "He just does it because he loves you. I can imagine how frustrating it is for you, but he'll back off a little once he gets to know David a little more. I'll talk to him about it and put in a good word for David."

"Thanks Mom. I think it would be better for both David and Dad if they would focus on getting to know each other. I'm not trying to hurt Dad by being with David."

"I know you're not. It's just really hard for Dad's to see their little girls grow up sometimes. Give it time sweetie. He'll come around." Lorelai assured her.

XXXXX

"Come on Jay" Martha said as she held her hand out to the little boy teetering around the living room. At her use of the name 'Jay' Patrick had visibly flinched. "Something wrong?" Martha asked as she noticed Patrick's reaction.

"Nope." He lied.

"You can tell me what it is."

Patrick sighed. "It's just that Kelly, Jacob's biological Mom, called him 'Jay' when she dropped him off. I've always called him Jacob."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I'll stay away from that nickname." Martha apologized.

"It's no big deal. You didn't know. I just don't like thinking about her."

"Perfectly understandable." Martha nodded.

"I just wish she hadn't abandoned him like that. It was a rotten thing to do."

"I agree." Martha said, not wanting to say too much.

"She just left him." Patrick said in frustration. "She just dumped him off and walked away. I haven't heard anything from her since, not that I want to. She started a college fund for Jacob. I get the statements every month and she keeps adding money on a regular basis. It's like she thinks money can fix what she did. Nothing can fix that. How do you just leave a child and never look back?"

"I don't know." Martha shook her head. "I know you don't know either, that's one of the reasons why I love you."

"You what?" Patrick froze as Martha's words sunk in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just blurted that out. I take it back." She tried to quickly recover.

"No, don't take it back." Patrick said and quickly pulled her into a tight hug before kissing her. "I love you too."

"You do?" Martha smiled.

"Yeah, I do. I have for a while, actually." Patrick said and blushed. He was about to kiss Martha again, but Jacob reached over and pulled on his pant leg. Patrick smiled at his son before leaning down to pick him up. Jacob smiled at his Dad before reaching out for Martha. "Looks like this guy loves you too."

"He's alright I guess." Martha smiled as she took Jacob into her arms and kissed his cheek.

"Hey Buddy" Patrick whispered in Jacob's ear. "We gotta share her or things are going to get ugly." He joked before remembering something. "Hey, should we give Martha the gift we picked out the other day?" He asked and Jacob nodded. "Be right back." Patrick said to Martha before going to his bedroom and quickly returning. He took Jacob from Martha and got down on one knee, balancing Jacob on his leg. He took Martha's hand and took a deep breath as her eyes widened in realization of what was about to happen.

"I wasn't going to do this so soon, but right now seems like the perfect moment. Martha Janice Lori Ethan Rupert Glenda Carson Daisy Danny Belleville, Will you marry us?" Patrick asked and tried to ignore the rapid beat of his heart while he waited for a response.

Martha quickly smiled and kissed Patrick before pulling back and kissing Jacob's forehead and hugging the little boy. "Yes" She finally breathed as Patrick stood to his feet.

"Really?"

"Yes, really" Martha smiled as Patrick opened the ring box and slipped the ring onto her finger. Patrick continued to smile and lifted Martha into the air and she held onto Jacob tightly.

"I'm so happy." Patrick said as he carefully set them back down and kissed Martha again. Jacob reached out for the shiny ring on Martha's finger and she held her hand out for Jacob to look at.

"Pretty" Martha said and Jacob nodded.

"Ma!" Jacob exclaimed and Martha's eyes widened.

"That's right Jacob." Patrick encouraged him. "Martha is going to be your Ma."

"I don't think that's what he was trying to say." Martha assumed thinking that Jacob was trying to say her first name.

"No, I think he meant to say Ma." Patrick assured her. "You'll be an amazing Ma."

"Thanks Pa" Martha smiled before Patrick leaned in to kiss her again and cover Jacob's eyes playfully.


	33. Chapter 33

Rory groaned as her cell phone rang on the night stand next to her bed.

"Let it ring" Joel groaned and pulled her closer to him. Rory complied and closed her eyes against his chest. Just as they were falling back asleep, Joel's cell phone rang.

"Must be something important to call both of us this early." Rory said and reached across Joel and answered the phone with a groggy "hello?". Rory quickly pulled the phone from her ear and winced and the high pitched screaming. "Mom? You seriously need to calm down. It's too early for screaming."

"It's not early." Lorelai stated. "I thought you and Joel always woke up early. It's nine AM."

"It's only six here." Rory groaned again. "Remember the time difference?"

"oops. Sorry. I forgot."

"Mom" Rory groaned.

"Geez. You're kind of grouchy this morning."

"Sorry. Joel and I were out late last night and had planned on sleeping in a little."

"Well, you're up now. I want to share some good news."

"What is it?" Rory gave in and sat up in bed.

"Patrick and Martha are engaged!"

"What? That's great news!" Rory exclaimed and shook Joel's shoulder. "Joel, wake up. Patrick and Martha are engaged!"

"Congratulations" Joel mumbled with his eyes still closed. He quickly drifted back to sleep and began snoring lightly.

"Joel's not excited?" Lorelai laughed. "And he snores?"

"It's first thing in the morning. Neither of us have had any coffee yet. Joel only snores when he's exhausted." Rory explained and got out of bed. She headed toward the kitchen and started the coffee pot before continuing her conversation with Lorelai. "When did they get engaged?"

"Last night. I wanted to call you, but thought it would be better to wait until morning. I'm so excited!"

"I can tell." Rory laughed. "Is everyone else as excited?"

"Yes. Patrick, Martha, and Jacob told all of us last night right after it happened, but they were going to tell Sookie and Jackson this morning. They were already in bed when Martha went by the house, so they just decided to wait. They're telling them this morning. I expect to get a screaming phone call any minute now."

"So, I should probably let you go."

"Ok. Sorry for waking you up."

"It's ok. I'm really happy for Patrick and Martha. Thanks for sharing the good news." Rory said before saying goodbye and hanging up. The coffee finished brewing and she poured two cups and carried them into the bedroom.

XXXXX

Martha practically bounced in the kitchen of The Dragonfly and found her Mom busy working.

"Good Morning Mom." She said and began putting her chef's jacket on.

"Hi Sweetie" Sookie said and quickly looked over her shoulder at Martha.

Martha began chopping vegetables and carried them over to the stove on the cutting board. She carefully stood on her Mom's right side and slowly used her left hand to toss the vegetables into one of the pots. Sookie didn't say anything, so Martha went back over to the counter and started chopping more vegetables.

"Wait!" Sookie suddenly exclaimed and spun around. She quickly grabbed Martha's left hand and looked at the ring on her finger. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

"We're engaged!" Martha exclaimed before jumping up and down with Sookie.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Patrick asked as he practically flew into the kitchen. "I heard screaming."

"You're engaged!" Sookie exclaimed and hugged Patrick. "I'm so happy for you two!"

"Thanks Sookie. We're pretty happy too." Patrick smiled and put his arm around Martha's shoulders. He quickly kissed her cheek before Sookie squealed and threw her arms in the air.

"You're getting married!" Sookie shouted. "I'm so happy! Oh! When will there be the pitter patter of little Grandchildren running around? Soon hopefully?" She smiled

"Not too soon" Martha said. "Technically, you'll be Jacob's Grandmother after I adopt him."

"You're adopting Jacob?" Sookie asked.

"Yes." Patrick said. "Jacob's biological Mom signed away her parental rights, so I'm legally Jacob's only parent. I talked to a lawyer and Martha can adopt him and become his Mom, legally. I know they already have the Mom/Child relationship, but it would be nice to make it all legal."

"That way we'll all be related once Pat and I are married." Martha smiled.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" Sookie exclaimed. "I love that you are adopting Jacob hun, but that doesn't get you out of having more kids. You two would have such cute kids. You know, it can take a while to get pregnant sometimes; you two should start trying now. You should both go get checked out in case there are any problem so you can take care of it right away. How old is Jacob exactly? It would be good for him to be close in age to siblings."

"Mom, relax" Martha insisted and Patrick shifted uncomfortably. "Patrick and I haven't made any serious plans, but we both agree that kids would be great at some point. However, we also think it would be good to have a little time with it just being the three of us. I think we'll explore the kids thing further down the road."

"Kids? As in at least two?"

"Yes" Martha said and blushed slightly.

"Oh, that's so great!" Sookie squealed again. "Oh, I'm just so excited. Martha take over for me I'm going to Lorelai's!" She exclaimed and left the room in a whirlwind.

"That was really awkward, sorry." Martha apologized to Patrick.

"It's fine. She's just excited." Patrick said.

"I'm pretty excited too." Martha smiled before kissing him.

XXXXX

Abby and David sat at a table in Luke's diner while eating their breakfast early in the morning. Abby happily gulped down several cups of coffee while David starred glumly at his.

"Oh, come on David. It won't be that bad." Abby insisted as Lorelai walked in the door and sat at their table.

"Sorry if this is a date, but I'm totally crashing it because I really need coffee and this is the only open table." Lorelai said quickly before she stole Abby's coffee cup and downed its contents.

"Hey!" Abby protested loudly.

"Luke!" Lorelai called out. "We need more coffee!"

"Will you cool it!" Luke shouted from behind the counter before bringing her a cup and refilling Abby's cup. "What's wrong with your coffee David?" Luke said as he looked at the still full cup.

"Nothing." David shrugged.

"He's afraid." Abby informed her parents.

"He should be. That stuff will kill you." Luke said.

"It's his first cup." Abby said proudly.

"Oh, I'm glad I didn't miss it." Lorelai smiled and clapped her hands together.

"You're either going to have to drink that quickly or run far far away." Luke joked. "They're not going to let this go."

"Ok, ok." David held up his hands. "I'll try it." He slowly lifted the cup off the table but stopped before it reached his mouth as he noticed Abby and Lorelai on the edge of their seats. "Stop staring."

"I want to witness the first sip." Abby insisted.

"David, David, David" Lorelai chanted.

He rolled his eyes and lifted the cup to his lips before closing his eyes and taking a sip. Before he opened his eyes, he swallowed and took another sip, this time allowing the liquid to linger on his tongue for a moment before he swallowed.

"So?" Abby asked eagerly as David opened his eyes.

"I don't know." David frowned. "It's a strange taste."

"What? Seriously?" Lorelai said in disappointment. "That's all you have to say about Luke's amazing coffee?"

Luke smirked and walked away from the table before watching the scene play out any further.

"I guess I could get used to it." David shrugged.

"That's encouraging." Abby sighed. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to. I'll finish it for you." She said and took the cup from him.

"It's a good thing you're pretty David or you wouldn't stand a chance." Lorelai laughed.

"I think you need to spend more time with Rory and Joel. They can teach you to appreciate coffee." Abby told David seriously.

"Ugh, no." David frowned. "Remember when they were doing a coffee tasting at their house a few months ago? Ugh, that was boring. Hearing about the acidity of certain coffees from different regions and the fruity properties of East African coffee compared to the more nutty flavors of Central American coffee was more than I could take." David joked while imitating Joel and Rory's discussion.

"It was a little pretentious." Abby agreed and smiled at him.

"What? Why wasn't I invited to that?" Lorelai pouted.

"Maybe if you're a good girl and you ask real nice Rory and Joel will do a tasting next time they're here." Abby said.

"They better." Lorelai continued to pout. "I want to drink pretentious coffee too."

"Mine isn't good enough for you?" Luke scoffed as he suddenly appeared to refill her coffee cup.

"I didn't say that. I just said I wanted to play coffee snob with Rory and Joel." Lorelai explained.

"Geez" Luke grumbled. "Just don't start complaining about my coffee."

"What? Never." Lorelai said in shock.

"Good because if it's been good enough for the last thirty years it should be good enough for the next." Luke grumbled and left.

"Luke, you're so dreamy. Will you marry me?" Lorelai said in a high pitched voice as he waved and walked into the kitchen.

"I think I may have to start drinking coffee just to keep up with you all." David said and shook his head.

"That's the spirit!" Lorelai laughed.

XXXXX

"I spoke with Jeremy." Catherine said quietly as Jenny drove them toward Hartford for a day of shopping.

"Really? When?"

"A couple days ago." Catherine answered. "He wanted to explain his side of the story. He's been struggling a lot lately with his past, which I've know about. He was going to go to counseling to try to sort it out, but apparently he started having an affair instead." She explained sadly. "According to him, the affair started about a week before I found out about it."

Jenny gripped the steering wheel tighter as she listened to the story. "What now?"

"Well, he really wants to try and work through this. He's asked me to think about it. He doesn't want to pretend like it never happened, but he wants to stay married and find a way to reconcile and make our marriage work. Jeremy wants to be around for the baby. He says that he'll do whatever it takes."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I have mixed feelings." Catherine said honestly. "I still love him, but he really hurt me. Even if I could forgive him, I'm not sure I could ever trust him again." 

"Can I say something?" Jenny asked cautiously as Catherine nodded. "I really don't want to pass judgment on you or tell you what to do, but there is something I want to say. I don't think you should have to spend the rest of your life questioning the man you're with. Even if you do forgive him and decide to work things out, won't you always be wondering what he's doing when you're not around him? Could you really trust that he wouldn't have another affair?"

"I really don't know." Catherine said. "I love him, but I don't know that this is something I can ever get passed."

"It's your life and you get to decide. I just hope you'll do what's best for you. Don't worry about what everyone else will think."

"I guess I should talk to him again." Catherine nodded.

Jenny sighed and pulled the car to the side of the road before looking Catherine in the eye. "Forgive me if I'm completely overstepping my bounds here. Blame it on pregnancy hormones. If you're seriously thinking about staying with Jeremy, you're crazy."

"What?"

"You heard me. He's been an ass to you. He's hit you. How could you be with a man that hits you? I've never understood women who think things are going to get better and stay with an abusive husband. That's what he is Catherine. You don't deserve that. Ditch him and get the hell out of that situation." Jenny said seriously.

"That's a bit harsh." Catherine frowned.

"Sorry, but that's the way I really feel." Jenny said and started the car again. She drove back onto the road and continued on their way. "I'm sorry if that makes you feel bad. I'm not trying to hurt you. Sam and I have a really good marriage and I want you to have that someday too. I just don't know that Jeremy can deliver that. Sure, it's not always easy and we have to work at it, but we've got a really good thing going."

"I think Jer and I can have that too, but I don't know how to make him want it as much as I do."

Jenny shook her head. "You can't make him do anything."

"You're right." Catherine sighed. "I realize that I made a mistake. I should have been more open and honest with Jeremy. I wasn't really emotionally present in our marriage. I tended to run from Jeremy when things got tough rather than talking about it. I should have listened when people told us not to get married so soon. I just went about everything completely wrong."

"I'm sure you did what you thought was best at the time."

"Maybe, but it wasn't the right thing. I had a part in messing up our marriage too. Sure, Jeremy messed it up too, but it wasn't all his fault." Catherine said. "I guess I should have been a better wife."

"You can't worry about that now Catie. You'll be ok and you've got a little baby to look forward to."

"Yeah" Catherine smiled. "I never thought out of all this mess there'd be a wonderful blessing as the outcome."

"Kind of amazing how life works out like that." Jenny smiled. "I think having a baby is always scary no matter what the circumstances, so I'm really happy to hear that you're seeing it as a blessing."

"To be honest, it's taken me a while to get excited about it, but I am now. Jeremy and I were a mistake from the beginning, but at least I get something great out of it."

"Can I ask you something about your relationship with Jeremy?" Jenny said hesitantly.

"Sure"

"Well, from my point of view, it seemed that you and Jeremy just jumped right into bed and then realized down the road that you're completely different people. I'm sorry if that sounds horrible."

Catherine chuckled a little and smiled at Jenny. "I think that kind of sums up our relationship. I thought Jeremy was super sexy when I first saw him and we did sleep together right away. Our relationship was physical from the beginning and we never really connected on an emotional level. I just got caught up in how much I liked Jeremy and how much I was attracted to him. I think I convinced myself that Jeremy and I could be good together if we just tried hard enough. I know now that it takes more than attraction to make a marriage work. I loved Jeremy and I think he loved me, but it was too late and we didn't build a strong relationship. We were at different places in our lives and really didn't even have the same goals. I feel so foolish and wish I hadn't married Jeremy. If I hadn't been so bull headed, we would have had a summer fling and ended it in the fall. That's about the point when our marriage started to have problems."

"That's a really tough lesson to learn." Jenny nodded. "I'm really sorry it's been so awful for you. I know that this may sound bad now, but you will find someone who loves you like crazy and treats you well."

"What's that like?" Catherine joked and looked at Jenny.

"Pretty amazing." Jenny smiled. "You know what? Let's screw this retail therapy and head back to Weston's bakery for some cake. I could seriously go for a huge slice of double chocolate cake."

"Oh, that sounds amazing!" Catherine agreed. "Can we call ahead?"

"Probably." Jenny shrugged. "Although, I think Madelyn always keeps an extra double chocolate cake in the shop just for me. She see's Sam coming and starts wrapping it up." She laughed.

"Sending Sam out for cake a lot?"

"Yes" Jenny laughed. "Madelyn even gave him a key so he could get into the shop in the middle of the night!"

"That's hilarious." Catherine laughed. "What, did you wake her up in the middle of the night to satisfy a craving?"

"Maybe"

"Awesome" Catherine laughed.

"Hey, when a pregnant woman needs cake…."

"People better get out of the way and get her some cake." Catherine laughed.

XXXXX


	34. Chapter 34

**AN: Thanks for the reviews! Someone suggested that I write a prequel to this story about how Lorelai and Rory deal with being apart and starting their families. What do you all think? After this story is finished, would you like to read something like that?**

XXXXX

Patrick, Will, Sam, Jonathan, Adam, and Ben laughed and joked as they walked into a bar in Stars Hollow. They quickly grabbed a table and ordered a round of beers to celebrate Patrick's engagement to Martha. They weren't looking for a big drunken night out, but just a few beers to celebrate with Patrick.

As they were enjoying the second round of beers for the night, Jeremy emerged from the back of the bar. He spotted the group of men and casually walked up to them, pulled a chair out, spun it around and sat on it while resting his arms on the top of the back of the chair. "How's it going boys?" Jeremy said as they all eyed him all suspiciously. "What's the occasion?"

"Patrick and Martha just got engaged" Jonathan said.

"Congratulations Patrick." Jeremy nodded.

"Thanks" Patrick said. "What are you doing here Jeremy? Catie said you were trying to change."

"I am. I was just hanging out with a few guys having a couple beers. No big deal." Jeremy shrugged. "Don't worry, I won't disappoint your perfect little Catherine." He sneered.

"Hey, we're not here for any trouble." Sam said and starred at Jeremy.

"Oh, no worries. I wouldn't want to interrupt your 'guys night out'." Jeremy scoffed. "I know how rarely the women in the family let you fellas out."

"Whoa man. Watch it." Will warned and sat up straight.

"Hey, Patrick should know what he's in for." Jeremy shrugged.

"Jeremy, I think you'd better leave." Sam suggested.

"No Sam. I think Patrick should know what marriage is going to be like. Although, he already knows what this family is like, so maybe I should be talking to Martha." Jeremy laughed. "Heck, I wish someone would have warned me before I tied the knot. Oh well, at least I enjoyed some of it." He smiled and leaned in toward the group. "Catherine was a really good fuck."

Ben's face reddened and he clenched his jaw before getting out of his seat and tackling Jeremy to the ground. "Don't you ever talk about my sister like that!" Ben said firmly as he sat on top of Jeremy and began hitting him. "Stupid jackass" Ben mumbled as Patrick pulled him off of Jeremy.

"Ben, calm down." Patrick said before Jeremy rose to his feet. The Danes men were soon standing in front of Jeremy with their arms crossed over their chests and frowns on their faces, much like their father would have done.

"What are you guys going to do? Beat me up and try to make me apologize? Screw you all. You never liked me. You all had it in for me from the moment I hooked up with Cate." Jeremy sneered. He turned to Ben and shoved him before saying, "You're part of the reason why things are so messed up between me and Cate. You little sniveling brat."

Ben quickly fought out of Patrick's grip and began fighting with Jeremy as his uncles tried to break it up. The bartender soon jumped over the bar with a baseball bat and forced the entire group out of the bar. A few more punches were thrown until Jeremy broke free and ran away from them. Ben hunched over and tried to catch his breath as Will laid a hand on his back.

"You ok, Ben?" He asked as Ben stood up and touched his nose.

"Yeah, don't think it's broken, but it hurts like hell." Ben said. "Sorry for ruining your celebration Patrick."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Patrick shrugged. "I know we all promised not to go after Jeremy, but he totally deserved it tonight. I know he was drunk, but that's no excuse. He shouldn't have said any of that crap."

"He makes me so angry." Ben seethed.

"Calm down man." Jonathan said. "You're breathing kind of heavy. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just still pretty out of shape." Ben frowned. "I'm supposed to be patient with my body's healing process, but I'm getting a little frustrated with the time frame."

"Well, we should probably take you home and get your nose cleaned up." Will shrugged. "Hopefully Madelyn likes tough guys, because you've got that look down tonight." He laughed.

"Nah, she'll be royally pissed that I got into a bar fight." Ben smiled and wiped his nose with his hand.

"Sick" Sam mumbled before handing Ben a tissue from his pocket.

"Ok, wow. Married life has certainly changed you, bro." Will snickered. "You never used to carry a hanky around."

"Watch it" Sam mumbled.

"Oh come on Sam. You know you're totally whipped now." Jonathan laughed.

"Hey, you just wait until you're married. We'll see who's whipped then." Sam said before they all laughed and began to walk back home.

XXXXX

Rory decided to make a quick weekend trip to Stars Hollow to visit Catherine and Ben as well as spend time with the rest of the family. Joel couldn't get out of work, so Rory traveled alone this time. After teaching a Friday morning class, Rory took an afternoon flight and arrived in Stars Hollow Friday night. She had a casual relaxing evening with the family and slept in Saturday morning. She joined Ben and Madelyn for breakfast. Rory was really beginning to enjoy spending time with Madelyn and saw how right she was for Ben.

"Have you thought of any baby names yet?" Lorelai asked Catherine as she, Rory, Catherine, Abby and Jenny ate lunch together at Luke's.

"Wait, me or Jenny?" Catherine asked.

"Jenny said she and Sam already know the gender and have a name picked out, but they won't tell anyone! They want to keep it a secret forever." Lorelai whined.

"The kid will come out at some point, so they can't keep it a secret for too long." Rory pointed out.

"Sure." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "They'll probably raise it as one of those genderless babies and expect us to call it chrome or halogen."

Everyone laughed at Lorelai's annoyance at not being told information. "We're not going to do that." Jenny smiled. "When he or she is born you'll know the name and gender right away. And I promise we're not going crazy on a name."

"What about you Catie? Are you going to go crazy with a name?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, I haven't decided if I'm going to find out the gender or not. I sort of want to know, but I also think it might be fun for it to be a complete surprise." Catherine explained. "I've been thinking of names, but I'm not set on anything."

"What are names are you thinking of?" Abby asked.

"Well, I was thinking it would be nice to name him or her after someone in the family."

"Pick me!" Lorelai joked.

"That's nice, but give the kid a chance." Abby joked.

"Ha ha." Catherine dead panned. "I'm not sure if I'm going to use a first or middle name or even a last name at this point. I realized that I don't know everyone's middle name though."

"I do!" Lorelai smiled. "Want me to recite?"

"Go ahead." Abby nodded reluctantly.

"Patrick Gilmore Danes, William Richard Danes, -"

"Mom, you can leave off the last name. We know everyone has the same last name." Rory interrupted.

"Ok ok." Lorelai sighed. "Patrick Gilmore, William Richard, Samuel Charles, Jonathan Matthew, Adam Lucas, and Abigail Victoria. Oh, and Lorelai Leigh Alexander." Lorelai added and smiled at Rory.

"Very traditional names." Catherine nodded. "Jenny, what's your middle name?"

"Helen" Jenny said. "I'm not a big fan, but it was my Mom's Grandmother's name."

"Hhhmmm. We seem to have a trend of traditional names and naming babies after family members. Good idea to carry it on Catherine." Abby said. "By the way, I think Abigail would make a lovely middle name." She joked.

"I'll keep that in mind." Catherine smiled. "Actually, I was sort of toying with the idea of using the name 'Lorelai' for a middle name."

"That's nice Sweetie." Rory smiled.

"Does Jeremy have any say in names?" Jenny asked.

"I don't know. He hasn't brought up the topic and neither have I. I think I'll narrow it down to a handful of names I like and then see if he likes or dislikes any of them."

"Did Sam have much say in names?" Rory asked.

"Yes. We sat down together and had several discussions about it. I wanted him to be really involved. In fact, he picked the name we agreed on." Jenny said.

"Are men usually involved in the naming process?" Abby asked.

"It depends." Lorelai answered. "Luke was pretty involved. He suggested Patrick's name. I suggested Will for Luke's Dad. All the other kids' names were picked out of baby books. Luke usually vetoed the ones he didn't like right away."

"Joel was pretty involved too. It was really cute actually. He bought one of those baby name books and circled the names he liked. He would read it in bed every night until he had gone through the entire thing. He did that with Ben and Catherine. After he had a list, I went through and picked all the ones I liked from his list. Then we tried first and middle names with our last name. Finally, we narrowed it down to two choices and picked the final name when we were at the hospital and saw them for the first time." Rory explained.

"That's quite the process." Lorelai laughed. "But I can totally see you doing that."

"As crazy as the process was, Joel and I both really enjoyed it. He totally hates it when I tell people about stuff like that, but he's just so cute sometimes I can't help it." Rory smiled and shrugged.

"Sam's the same way." Jenny said.

"And we tease him about it all the time." Abby laughed.

XXXXX

Jeremy leaned on the door frame of Luke and Lorelai's house and rang the door bell. He swayed a little and tried to steady himself as Luke answered the door.

"I want to see Catie" Jeremy slurred and attempted to push passed Luke.

"I don't think now is a good time Jeremy. Why don't you come back tomorrow." Luke suggested.

"I want to see her now." Jeremy insisted. "She's still my wife."

"You're drunk. Come back when you're sober and maybe you can talk to her."

"You don't have the right to keep me from my wife."

"I have a responsibility to protect my Granddaughter." Luke said firmly. "You can't come in here in a drunken rage and hurt her. This is my house and you're not welcome here." Luke said and attempted to shut the door in Jeremy's face before Jeremy flung himself at Luke.

"Hey!" Lorelai yelled as she saw the brawl beginning in the entryway. She attempted to pull Jeremy off of Luke, but Jeremy quickly pushed her to the floor. Luke suddenly became angry and fought Jeremy out of the house before slamming and locking the front door.

"Lorelai, are you alright?" Luke asked while helping her off the ground.

"I'm fine" Lorelai assured him. "Looks like you're not though." She said while touching a scratch on his forehead.

"I'm ok" Luke insisted. "Is Catie still taking a nap?"

"Yes"

"Don't let her leave the house alone today. I don't want Jeremy tracking her down and hurting her."

"I agree. This is getting way out of hand. Do you think we need to get a restraining order against Jeremy?" Lorelai asked.

"It probably wouldn't hurt anything. I doubt that Catie would do it though. She's still trying to work through everything with him. I don't know how well that's going to turn out. I kind of think she should just not talk to him for a while until he's a little more under control."

"I know, but she's stubborn like her Mother, so I doubt that's going to happen." Lorelai sighed.

"Gee, I wonder where that stubbornness comes from." Luke smirked.

XXXXX

Catherine was on her way to Weston's Bakery when she saw Jeremy walking. She briefly thought of turning around and walking away from him, but she decided to face him and walked right up to him.

"Jeremy" She said as she stopped in front of him.

"Catherine" He nodded.

"I know all about your fight with Ben and my uncles. Are you crazy? Why are you continuing to cause trouble?" Catherine frowned.

"Ben's the one who actually started the whole thing. He threw the first punch."

"But you encouraged him." Catherine sighed. "Ben was wrong to do that, but you knew perfectly well what you were starting. Why do you have to cause trouble? Can't you just come talk to me and leave my family out of this?"

"Oh, now you want to leave your family out of it. When we were together you always wanted your family involved. Funny how times have changed." Jeremy sneered.

"This is why we can't be together!" Catherine said in frustration and threw her hands up. "This is so childish. Just sign the divorce papers Jeremy. I'm done." She said and started to walk away.

"Hey" Jeremy said and grabbed her arm.

Catherine stopped and turned around calmly. "What? Are you going to hit me? Go ahead."

"I don't want a divorce." Jeremy insisted.

"I don't want to be married to you." Catherine fired back.

"So, you just walk away and call it quits?" Jeremy asked. "Once again we do things your way."

"We shouldn't have gotten married in the first place! It was a mistake. Let's just admit it and move on."

"What about the baby? Don't you think we should at least try to stay together for the sake of the baby?"

"No. If we stay together we won't be happy. We'd just end up getting divorced later down the road. I think the baby would be hurt more in the future if we wait to get divorced."

"Wow. You really have no hope for us. The divorce is final in your mind and I'm just delaying the timing." Jeremy said sadly. "I don't know how to show you that I'm really trying to change."

"Not getting in a fight with my brother would be a good start."

"True. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"It will be ok. Just sign the divorce papers and then we can talk about how we're going to keep things civil for the baby's sake." Catherine explained.

"Just sign and mail them to the lawyer?"

"Yes"

"Ok" Jeremy nodded and walked away.

Catherine watched him walk until Sam came along on his way to Weston's.

"Hey Catie. You ok?"

"Yeah, just had a talk with Jeremy. On your way to Weston's?"

"Jenny wants some sort of cake called a tangerine cream cake. Why don't you come along? I'll treat you to a piece of whatever you like." Sam offered.

"Sounds good to me." Catherine smiled and walked to Weston's with Sam.

XXXXX


	35. Chapter 35

Catherine had finally had enough with Jeremy. His behavior was out of control and she just couldn't trust him anymore. The stress he was causing her was also having an adverse effect on her health. At her last doctor's appointment her blood pressure had been on the high side and she'd received a stern warning to get it down immediately or risk harming the baby's health. She agreed to do her best and Luke had put her on a strict diet once he found out. Catherine had also passed the halfway mark in her pregnancy and had a small round belly.

Jenny on the other hand was nearing her due date as fall approached and become extremely uncomfortable. Sam seemed to be walking on eggshells most of the time and come over to Luke and Lorelai's house about once a week when Jenny got annoyed with him and kicked him out of the house. Of course, she always apologized afterward and Sam had just grown used to it and assumed it would wear off once the baby was born.

On a particularly warm late summer evening, Catherine sat in Luke and Lorelai's living room reading a book as Sam wandered in the front door.

"Hey Sam. Jenny kick you out again?" Catherine asked as she looked up from her book.

"Yup" Sam nodded and plopped down in an arm chair next to the couch. "What the heck are you wearing?" He asked as he noticed Catherine wearing boxer shorts and a spaghetti strap tank top that looked like it used to fit her perfectly, but was now too small and allowed her stomach to show.

"It's hot out and this is comfortable. Don't judge me." Catherine laughed.

"Ok. I know better than to say anything to upset a pregnant woman." Sam laughed.

"What did you do this time?"

"I was breathing too loud and Jenny said she couldn't sleep." Sam said. "I don't even know how she heard me breathing with all the fans going to keep the bedroom cool."

"It's a special gift." Catherine joked.

"I'm beginning to think my presence annoys her these days."

"Well, at least you can come over here and hide out for a while." Catherine smiled. "Don't worry, it will wear off after the baby's born."

"I know. It's hard not being able to do anything to make her more comfortable. I can't even seem to get the right kind of cake for her these days. There are at least three uneaten pieces in the fridge. I started a bath for her tonight, but it was hot out, so I used cold water and then went out and bought a bag of ice so it would be extra cold. I lit a few candles and spread some rose peddles around, but she got the wrong idea and yelled at me for trying to have sex with her. I just wanted to do something nice so she could cool off and relax!"

"Sorry Sam." Catherine laughed. "It's all the crazy hormones."

"I know. It just gets frustrating sometimes."

"It'll all be over in a month or so."

"If Jenny doesn't murder me by then." Sam joked.

"Are you getting excited about the baby?"

"Yeah. I can't wait to see her." Sam admitted and smiled.

"Her!" Catherine exclaimed at Sam's slip. "It's a girl! I knew it!"

"oh crap. Please don't tell anyone. I wasn't supposed to say anything. Jenny's going to kill me." Sam worried.

"Don't worry, the secret's safe with me. I won't tell anyone." Catherine assured him. "What name do you have picked out?"

"I really can't tell you that."

"Then I'll just tell Grandma Lorelai that it's a girl."

"Oh, now that's not fair Catie. I can't have this get out." Sam pleaded.

"Tell me the name or I'm letting the cat out of the bag."

"Fine." Sam gave in. "But you can't tell anyone. Evelyn Victoria."

"Evelyn Victoria." Catherine repeated. "Very pretty. I like it."

"Evie for short." Sam said. "I picked it." He added proudly.

"Good job. I really like that name. It's cute, but also very sophisticated." Catherine nodded.

"Thanks. What about you? Have you picked out any names?"

"Not really. I think I'm going to find out if it's a boy or girl first. I have too many names on my lists and finding out the gender will help narrow it down. I was going to find out the gender at my last appointment, but I chickened out at the last minute." Catherine explained.

"You don't have to find out." Sam added. "Jenny and I were too excited to wait. That's why we found out, but you probably have more patience than we do."

"What do you think of these names?" Catherine asked as she pulled a slip of paper out of her book and handed it to Sam.

He looked over the list and laughed. "Veto to all of them."

"What? Why?"

"You cannot name a kid Willow, Colby, or Quinn." Sam said and tossed the paper back to her.

"I'll give you Willow, but Quinn and Colby are perfectly respectable names."

"Whatever." Sam rolled his eyes and laughed at her. "You'll probably go through a couple hundred names before you settle on something."

"Actually, I think I have a girl name picked out. What do you think of Lorelai Rachel Forrester?"

"I like the first name, the middle name is good, but I'm not a fan of the last name." Sam said. "By the way, one of Dad's old girlfriends was named Rachel, so you may not want to use that."

"Rachel is my middle name. It's for my Aunt Rachel, my Dad's sister. Do you think it would bother Grandpa Luke?" Catherine asked.

"Not if he knows it's your middle name and it's for your Aunt. I think he'd respect that."

"Good." Catherine nodded. "I'm still trying to figure out what last name to give the baby. After the divorce is finalized, I'm going back to Alexander. I feel like the baby should have the same last name as it's Dad, but I don't really know why. Technically I could pick any last name I want. Heck, I could even go with Gilmore if I wanted to."

"I don't think the world is ready for another Lorelai Gilmore, but it's a nice idea. I think if you use Alexander as a last name everyone would respect that." Sam said.

"I tried to look up on the internet what the proper think to do would be, but I didn't get much. I guess it's not very traditional to have a baby in the middle of a divorce."

"I guess not." Sam nodded. "If you ever need any help, you know you can call Jenny and I. We'll have our hands full, but we'd love to offer whatever help we can. If I can't help, I'll get one of my slacker brothers to help out."

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Catherine smiled. "Are you planning to stay the night?"

"I'm not sure. If I stay I risk Jenny being angry that I'm not there when she wakes up. I also won't be there to turn off the fans in the middle of the night when it gets too cold. I think I may just crash on the couch for a couple hours and head back home later."

"Ok, well I'm going to go upstairs and go to bed. Goodnight." Catherine said before going up the stairs.

"'Night!" Sam called after her. He laid down on the couch and just got comfortable when his cell phone rang and Jenny asked him to come home. He grumbled after hanging up the phone, but quickly made his way home.

XXXXX

Rory was still in shock when she jumped into a cab and headed toward Stars Hollow. It was early Saturday morning and she had been flying all night to get there. Dean had called Friday night and explained that Jeremy had been in a very serious car accident. He was going to call Catherine, but he didn't want to upset her. Rory said that she would tell Catherine and jumped on a plane. She hated being the one to share such bad news, but it was probably best that she be there for her daughter.

Jeremy had sustained major injuries, but was expected to make a full recovery. Dean was staying at the hospital, so Rory promised to take care of whatever needed to be done outside.

"Ma'am, we're here." The cab driver asked, jolting Rory out of her thoughts. "This is the address you gave me, right?"

"Oh, yes. Thanks." Rory said and fumbled with her wallet before paying the driver and carrying her small suitcase up the steps of Luke and Lorelai's house. She used the key they had given her and quietly walked up the stairs to Abby's room. Catherine was sleeping soundly, so Rory tip toed out of the room and went downstairs to make a pot of coffee. She pulled a stack of essays out of her suitcase and sat down at the kitchen table to grade them.

"Rory?" Lorelai asked as she walked into the kitchen and stopped.

"Hi Mom." Rory smiled. "Sorry, it was late last night when I decided to come so I didn't want to wake you up by calling."

"It's fine. Is everything ok?"

"Jeremy was in a car accident last night. It's serious, but he's going to be ok. Dean called me last night and I flew out. I'm going to tell Catherine as soon as she wakes up." Rory explained.

"Good idea to let her sleep. She hasn't been sleeping well lately."

"Jeremy's going to be ok and Dean is there, so waiting a few hours more won't hurt anything."

Lorelai nodded and sighed before hugging Rory. "Good to see you. Where's Joel?"

"He had to work. Things have been really busy at the hotel and he's short staffed, so no time off right now. I'm not really taking any time off either, but I don't have classes on the weekend, just grading."

"Who takes classes over the summer?" Lorelai scoffed.

"Lots of people, actually. Many of the students stay in the area and work part time while taking a class or two."

"Overachievers" Lorelai joked as Rory rolled her eyes. The coffee pot beeped and Lorelai quickly poured a cup for herself and Rory. "Hey, after Catie wakes up you want to go to Luke's? Jonathan opened this morning and I want to go tease him."

"Ok" Rory said hesitantly as she looked at Lorelai in confusion.

"Jonathan is very serious about his work, so he gets all riled up when I tease him at work. It's fun." Lorelai smiled like a small child.

"You really get a sick pleasure from teasing and embarrassing your kids, don't you?" Rory joked.

"Yes. It keeps me busy. With Patrick running the Dragonfly, I get bored and I need something to do."

"Well, you'll be busy enough once you get all those Grandchildren you keep begging for." Rory rolled her eyes.

"I suppose." Lorelai sighed. "Hey, why don't you and Joel move here and entertain me?"

"Move all the way across the country just so we can keep you busy?" Rory laughed. "I don't think so."

"Please?" Lorelai said seriously. "It's really odd having you so far away. It just feels wrong to have the Gilmore Girls split up."

"Well, to tell you the truth, Joel and I have been considering it." Rory explained. "We're thinking of buying a house in Stars Hollow at the very least so we have our own space when we're here. Maybe Catherine could also stay there."

"You don't like staying with Luke and I?"

"Of course we do." Rory assured her. "I think it's just time that we get our own space here. Catherine is making her life here and it looks like Ben will too, so it doesn't make sense for Joel and I to stay in Seattle. The only thing that's really keeping us there is Joel's family and our jobs. Joel said it's fine to be away from his family, especially since I've been away from mine for so long. We just need to work out things with jobs and my school. Don't get too excited though, it may take us a while to get everything settled before we can actually move here."

"It's still exciting though!" Lorelai smiled and hugged Rory again.

Abby walked into the kitchen looking exhausted and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"You're up early." Lorelai said.

"I haven't been to bed yet." Abby sighed. "I just got back from taking David to the airport."

"So you were up all night telling each other how much you love each other and won't be able to go on living?" Lorelai joked.

"Sort of." Abby said. "Mainly just talking and planning for the future."

"I should have called. I just came from the airport." Rory said.

"Awww. Yeah, I would have given you a ride." Abby said. "David went back to Portland to spend some time with his Mom. She called last week and said she ran into his Dad. He stayed at the hotel where she works. Apparently David's Dad wants to meet him."

"Wow. After all this time he has the balls to want to be involved in David's life now?" Lorelai frowned.

"Yeah, that's what David said. He's not really interested in meeting the guy that walked out on his Mom when she was pregnant. He knew about David and chose to walk away, so David isn't really inclined to do him any favors. However, David's so nice that he agreed to discuss it with his Mom before making a final decision. She talked to David's Dad for a while and seems to think it might be good for David to meet him."

"That's a lot to think about." Rory nodded.

"Yes." Abby sighed. "That and David sort of asked me to marry him."

"What?" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Don't get too excited. It's not official or anything." Abby clarified. "He just said that he knows he wants to be with me for the rest of his life. He's really serious about school, so he wants to wait until after we graduate to get married, but he definitely wants to get married."

"Wow. That's huge." Rory said. "Guys don't say that unless they're serious. What do you think? Are you on the same page?"

"I think so." Abby said. "I mean, I love him, but I'm not sure if we should get married. I think I might just be a little afraid to get married when everyone in this family seems to be getting married so young. I don't want to jump into something I'm not ready for."

"You might be by the time you graduate college."

"That's what I think. I want to give it more time before I commit, which sounds weird, but I don't want to make a rash decision and regret it later."

"That sounds good to me." Lorelai noted. "Did you tell David that?"

"Not really. I said that we should keep going where we're going and walk down the road to marriage after we graduate."

"Smart girl." Lorelai agreed again.

"Well, I'm going to bed." Abby sighed and put her empty coffee cup in the sink. She kissed Lorelai's cheek and walked upstairs to cash into bed.

"Drinking a cup of coffee and then going to bed? Must be a Gilmore." Rory laughed.

"I know. Luke totally hates it." Lorelai laughed.

"She looks so much like you it's a little on the creepy side." Rory said. "Last time I was here I was helping Abby with the dishes and she asked me to hand her a dish towel. I almost said 'Sure Mom' like I was a little kid again."

"When did we ever do dishes when you were little?"

"Probably never, but that's not the point." Rory laughed. "She seriously looks so much like you did at her age that I forget I'm so old and think I'm a little kid again."

"Don't talk about your age. It just reminds me how old I am." Lorelai joked. "I know what you mean though. Time goes by so fast."

"Way too fast." Rory agreed. "The entire plane ride here I was thinking about just how fast it's all gone. It really does seem like yesterday I was pregnant with Catherine and now she's grown up and having a baby of her own." Rory sighed.

"I know." Lorelai smiled gently and touched her arm.

They drank coffee quietly for another half an hour until the house buzzed with activity again. Catherine wandered down the stairs and stopped when she saw Rory in the kitchen.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Don't sound so happy to see me." Rory smiled as Catherine sat with her and Lorelai.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I didn't think you were coming this weekend, I must have mixed up the dates again. Damn pregnancy brain." She grumbled.

"I wasn't planning on coming." Rory clarified. "But, I need to talk to you about something important. Dean called me last night. Jeremy was involved in a car accident. He's going to be ok, but he'll be in the hospital a few days. Dean was going to tell you, but I thought I should be here in person to deliver the news."

"Wow" Catherine breathed. "He's going to be ok?"

"That's what Dean said. Jeremy's injuries are serious, but he'll make a full recovery."

"Ok" Catherine nodded and got up to get a bowl of cereal for herself.

"Are you ok hun?" Rory asked, not sure Catherine had understood what she's just said.

"Yeah. You said Jeremy is going to be fine, so what do I care?" She shrugged. "What, you want me to be all upset and cry on your shoulder?"

"No, I just didn't think you'd be this callous about it."

"Well, I can't exactly do anything to change the situation and Jeremy's going to be ok, so what do I care. I'm not going to go down to the hospital to see him or anything. He's already caused enough trouble and I'm just sick of all the stupid drama with him. I'm done." She said and left the room with her cereal to eat somewhere else.

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting." Rory frowned after Catherine had left. "I thought she'd be upset."

"She might be in a little while once it sinks in." Lorelai offered. "Or she really is just sick of all the drama. Give her some space."

"I could have done that from Seattle." Rory sighed.

XXXXX

"I feel like shit" Jeremy groaned as Dean returned with a bowl of soup from the cafeteria. "I don't think I can eat anything."

"You should get some nourishment into your body. You probably feel like crap because you're not on anything. Your body is recovering. No drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or whatever other substances you used. You're probably also going through a bit of withdrawal." Dean said and set the soup down on a table next to Jeremy's bed.

"I guess. Is Catie going to stop by?"

"I doubt it. You royally screwed that up Jeremy. I think you should just step back for a while and give Catie some space. Maybe with time she'll be ready to talk again."

"Does she know I'm in the hospital?"

"Yes. Rory came into town and told her for me. I called Rory a few minutes ago and she said Catie's not coming." Dean explained.

"I signed the divorce papers." Jeremy admitted out of nowhere. "The day before the accident I signed them and sent them off to the lawyer. Maybe I should just leave her alone."

"Might be a good idea." Dean reiterated. "If you ever want to have a relationship with your child, you really need to pull it together. Catherine is the child's mother and she's going to have a lot of say in when and if you see the child. You can't just expect her to let you do whatever you want. She's going to be very protective of the child."

"And controlling."

"Jeremy" Dean warned. "You're going to have to put everything aside and just focus on being a Dad. I know I wasn't that good of a Dad to you and your brother, but there are a few things I want you to know. You don't get any do overs with kids. You have to get it right the first time and take every opportunity you get. You have to be consistent and be there for the kid. I'm not just talking about giving Catherine money to pay for stuff. You're going to have to do that too, but that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is to show up when you say you're going to and love that kid like you've never loved anything else. Being a father is a very active job, not one you can do every other weekend."

"I don't know that I'm ready for all that."

"I know you're not." Dean agreed. "But you're going to have to get ready anyway. You can start by using this accident as a cause for change. Don't go back to drinking, smoking, and doing drugs. It's going to be hard, but if you can get clean and sober now, you won't ever regret it. If you can do that, I'll give you your job back with the company and you can move out on your own again. That would show Catie that you've changed. Go to work every day and show her that you want to be an adult and a good father."

"I don't think I have what it takes for all that." Jeremy said while looking down.

"Yes you do Jeremy. I know you've got what it takes and I'm going to be there to help you along the way. I know you're a good man and you'll be a great Dad." Dean encouraged him. "It's going to be hard work, but I know you can do it."

"I don't know" Jeremy shrugged.

"What do you want to do? Would you rather just not be involved at all?"

Jeremy just looked down and shrugged again. "What if I'm not good at it? What if I screw the kid up?"

"If you try to be the best Dad you can, you won't screw up. Be there for the kid, be consistent, and love him or her and you'll be just fine."

"But don't you think it might just be better for me to stay away? Catie's family will be able to help her and I'm sure they'd rather me stay out of the way anyhow."

"So, you just give up before you even start?" Dean frowned. "If you could control the situation and could have it anyway you want, what would you do?"

"I would stay married to Catie and raise the baby together. She'd stay in school and I'd work with her family to take care of the baby while she was in class." Jeremy said with sadness in his voice. "I realized that I screwed up whatever hope our marriage once had and it's over now. I really wish I could change what I did, but I can't. I guess the best I can hope for now is that Catherine will still talk with me and we'll work out a way to be parents together. I'll stay in Stars Hollow and spend as much time with our kid as I can."

Dean nodded and thought for a moment before touching Jeremy's shoulder. "I think you'll be a great Dad, son. Give Catherine time to work things out in her mind and then you two can work out a plan. The most important part of all of this is for you to get well and then stay clean and sober."


	36. Chapter 36

"Well, the divorce is final." Catherine said as she looked through papers she'd just received in the mail. It had been a week since Jeremy's accident and she still hadn't seen him yet. Rory went to see him the hospital before she left to go back to Seattle. Jeremy had given her a hand written note to deliver to Catherine, which she did on her way back to the airport. The following weekend, Rory had come back out to Stars Hollow to spend more time with Catherine and Ben. Once again, Joel was working and couldn't make it.

"Really?" Rory asked with a little too much excitement in her voice. She winced in an attempt to cover it up.

"That's what this says." Catherine held up a sheet of paper and waved it at her.

"Are you ok? How do you feel?"

"Relived. Glad it's over. Sad." Catherine admitted.

Rory quickly hugged her daughter and rubbed her back slowly.

"Jeremy wrote to me about how we could co-parent after the baby is born." Catherine said and pulled away from Rory. "We're going to meet for coffee once a week and discuss things until the baby is born. We'll work out some sort of visitation schedule, but I'm thinking about being pretty flexible with that. I don't want Jeremy to feel like I'm controlling his role as a father. I want him to step up and be a great Dad. The best way to make that happen seems to be freedom and open access to his child. That's not to say that Jeremy can be really erratic and do whatever he wants. He's going to have to set some sort of schedule and prove his dependability."

"That sounds reasonable, but you're just going to go with the plan he wrote down?"

"It sounds as good as any plan I could come up with." She shrugged. "Dean came over and said he had a talk with Jeremy about it all. He said Jeremy really is serious this time and wants to do the right thing. I'm really frustrated and fed up with Jeremy, but I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it for the baby." She said and placed her hand on her small belly. "I'm going to see what he's like when we meet for coffee. If I can't trust him by the time the baby is born, I'll figure something else out. I just feel in my gut like giving him a chance with this is the right thing to do."

"Then you should trust your gut." Rory nodded and continued to think about whether or not she actually agreed with the idea. It seemed a little too generous to her, but maybe that was just her overprotective nature toward Catherine.

"Jeremy must have signed these papers before he got in the accident." Catherine said while looking at the postmark on the envelope and changing the subject. "You don't think he was upset about this and tried to do something to hurt himself?"

"No, hun. I think it was just an accident."

"I hope so. I could never forgive myself if I was the cause of the accident." Catherine said as her face turned pale.

"Are you alright?" Rory said as Catherine slowly sat down on the floor.

"Yeah, I just got a little dizzy." Catherine said and touched her stomach. Rory starred at her motionless for a few minutes until Catherine began to feel better. "I'm ok. I feel better now."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine." Catherine insisted and stood up. "I'll just go get a glass of water and everything will be ok."

Rory followed hot on her heels and watched her closely for the next few minutes while Catherine insisted that she felt just fine and would mention the incident to her doctor on her next appointment, which coincidentally was the next day.

"Catherine, are you sure you're feeling ok? Do you want to talk about anything?" Rory said gently as she set a glass of water down for her daughter on the coffee table in the living room. "It's not good to just stuff your feelings down inside."

"I know Mom." Catherine sighed. "It's just hard to talk about."

"Might make you feel a little better."

"I feel so ashamed, Mom." Catherine admitted and looked down at the floor. "So ashamed for rushing into a bad marriage, ashamed for getting pregnant, and ashamed that no matter how horrible Jeremy treats me I still love him. I don't know how to get over him."

"Do you want to stay married?"

"No" Catherine insisted. "I can't be with Jeremy. It's not going to work. I just can't figure out how to get over him though. How do I just stop loving him?"

"That's tough." Rory agreed and moved to sit next to Catherine who quickly leaned against Rory and hugged her tightly. Rory wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her securely. "I don't think I can say anything to help you there. I've never been divorced, so I don't know how to do that. I've been through a few breakups, but I don't think it was love, just strong like. I'm so sorry you have to go through this sweetie."

"It's hard and confusing." Catherine sighed. "I guess these feelings will go away over time."

Rory sighed and held Catherine for a few minutes before either of them said anything. "You know, you don't need to be ashamed about your relationship with Jeremy. I know I haven't always been supportive and the rest of the family hasn't been too helpful, but I love you more than anything. I'm never ever going to leave you or stop loving you. I will always be there for you and now for the baby. Take this opportunity to learn more about yourself."

"Like how to share my feelings?" Catherine joked.

"Well" Rory hesitated. "That's something I need to work on too. Maybe you and I are a little too much alike in that area." She explained. "I don't know if I should tell you this or not, but I've put distance between your Dad and I in the past because I wouldn't share my feelings. When Ben was sick I completely shut your Dad out at times. When it got really bad, he had to beg me to talk to him. He was incredibly vulnerable and begged me to not shut him out. Looking back, it was really brave of him to do. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that it's really important to talk about stuff with the people you love. I just stuff everything in and want to sort it out myself. That's not always the best approach and not going to let your family know what's going on. You have to talk."

Catherine sat quietly while she took in what Rory had said. "It's just so hard to say it all out loud though. I get into my head and just need to think about it and figure out a solution before I can talk about it."

"Oh, you really are my daughter." Rory sighed and pulled her closer. "I do the same thing. One thing your Dad has taught me is that I need to say something, anything. It's ok to say 'I don't know' or 'I don't have it figured out'. I've had to learn that even though I want to work things out before talking about them, I at the very least need to say that to your Dad. Then I need to talk about what I'm thinking or where my thought process is going. Dad can't read my mind, so I have to talk."

"I was so bad at sharing my feelings with Jeremy." Catherine sighed. "It's all over with now though. Now I just have to work on communicating with him about the baby." She said and shook her head. "You don't think I'm making a mistake by trying to work with Jeremy on all this, do you?"

"No, it's not a mistake." Rory assured her. "I don't think you'll regret having Jeremy be a part of the baby's life unless he completely screws it up. I don't think that's going to happen. As much as I may have been against Jeremy in the beginning, I'm rooting for him on this. It would be great if you two could both be awesome parents and the baby would have both of you."

"Thanks Mom." Catherine smiled and pulled away from Rory and stood up to go upstairs.

"Oh, and Catherine?"

"Yes?"

"You shouldn't be ashamed about getting pregnant either." Rory said seriously. "I'm really excited about being a Grandma."

"Thanks Mom" Catherine smiled before going up the stairs.

A few hours later, Ben and Madelyn dropped by Luke and Lorelai's house and took Catherine out for ice cream. They had invited Rory along, but she thought it would be nice for the three of them to spend time together. The rest of the family was at Sam and Jenny's for one last round of painting, cleaning, and organizing before the baby was born. So, Rory picked up a book and curled up on the couch. She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until Ben woke her up.

"Mom!" He yelled and shook her shoulder in a panic. "Mom, wake up!"

"What? Ben, what's the deal?" Rory grumbled.

"It's Catie. We had to take her to the hospital. She felt dizzy and then she went to the bathroom and came out really scared and said she was bleeding! Madelyn drove us all to the hospital." Ben spat out with a look of complete panic in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh! Is she ok? Where is she now?" Rory asked quickly as she ran to get her purse and coat.

"Madelyn is at the hospital with her. I came to get you. I don't know how she is yet." Ben said as they went out the front door and jumped into the car. Rory asked a million questions as Ben drove, but he didn't seem to know anything. He quickly parked the car and they raced into the emergency room asking for Catherine. A nurse directed them toward a ward upstairs and they quickly found her room.

"Catherine!" Rory exclaimed as she rounded the corner and ran into her daughter's hospital room with Ben following behind her. They entered the room and stopped then they saw Catherine sleeping in bed. Madelyn quickly rose to greet them.

"Is she ok? Is the baby ok?" Rory ask as she sat next to Catherine and took her hand.

"The baby is ok and Catherine is ok." Madelyn assured them. "The doctors didn't explain much, but they want her to stay here for a while. They said something about it being a close call and gave her some drugs to keep her from going into labor. There was also talk about bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy."

"But she's ok?" Ben asked one more time.

"Yes, Ben. She's ok and the baby is ok." Madelyn nodded before hugging him tightly. Ben visibly relaxed after a few minutes and then took a seat next to Rory. She smiled softly at him, the worry still evident on her face, and he took her free hand in his.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes until Catherine stirred and mumbled something to herself.

"Sweetie? We're right here." Rory told her quietly. "You're ok and the baby is ok."

"Mom? Where am I? What's going on?"

"You're in the hospital Catherine." Rory said. "Don't worry, everything is ok."

"I was bleeding." Catherine remembered and rested her hand on her belly. "Is the baby ok?"

"Just fine." Rory said trying to hide the fear of uncertainty in her own voice. "Ben will you go get the doctor?" She asked and he nodded, quickly leaving the room.

When the doctor arrived in the room, he looked over Catherine again and said that they couldn't determine the cause, but she'd started to go into labor. They gave her medication to stop the labor and keep the baby where it was for as long as possible. The doctor explained that it would be very important to stay off her feet as much as possible and keep all activity to a minimum. Rory and Ben asked several times if everything really was all right and the doctor assured them that it was. Catherine was released from the hospital and instructed to call her doctor to set up a new appointment schedule right away.

XXXXX

Jeremy knocked on Luke and Lorelai's front door and stood back a few feet until Rory answered the door.

"Jeremy" She said and eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble." Jeremy insisted right away. "I just came to check on Catherine and bring her these flowers." Jeremy said and held up the pretty bouquet in his hand.

"Ok, but I don't think you should stay too long." Rory said and stepped aside so Jeremy could enter the house.

"That's fine." Jeremy nodded.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked casually while leading him toward the back of the house where Catherine had been set up in a guest bedroom so she wouldn't have to go up and down the stairs.

"Much better." Jeremy nodded again. "My ribs are still pretty sore, but I'm doing much better."

"That's good to hear." Rory said. "Now, don't do or say anything to upset Catherine. She's in a fragile state and it's not good for her to get excited about anything."

"Rory, like I said, I'm not here to cause any trouble. I just wanted to check on Catherine and see if she's ok, bring her flowers."

"Ok, go on in. I'll leave you alone." Rory said and left Jeremy standing alone in front of the closed door.

Jeremy took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. Catherine was sitting in bed reading a book and looked at him like she'd seen a ghost. He quickly walked over to her side of the bed and set the flowers on the bed side table.

"I just wanted to see how you were. I'll go if you want me to." Jeremy said quickly.

"It's ok." Catherine nodded and motioned for him to sit in a chair that was next to the bed. "Thank you for signing those papers."

Jeremy just looked at her for a minute before saying anything. "You're welcome." He nodded before his eyes rested on her belly. He hadn't seen her for a while and was shocked by how pregnant she looked now.

"Getting closer." Catherine said as her hand rubbed her belly.

"Everything's….ok?"

"Yes, just as long as I stay put for the next few months." Catherine sighed. "It hasn't been a week and it already feels like torture."

"Maybe you won't have to be in bed so much once it gets closer." Jeremy said.

"Maybe" Catherine nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I don't think so. Not right now." Catherine said cooly.

"Ok, well, when you think of something you just give me a call. I have a new cell phone number. Here." He said and set a piece of paper on the table. "I work during the day, but I'd be happy to come over before or after work. Just leave me a message and I'll be here. Honest." Jeremy added to make it seem more sincere.

"Thanks for the offer. I'll keep it in mind." She nodded as Jeremy stood to leave. "Wait. Come here for a second." She said and he complied. Catherine quickly too his hand and held it to her belly. He looked at her with wide eyes as he felt a little movement inside her. "Say hi to Daddy" She whispered to the baby.

"Is that? Wow" Jeremy said before swallowing hard.

"Exactly" Catherine agreed and gave him a small smile. "Thanks for stopping by Jeremy." She said and he nodded before starting to leave. "Oh, wait. How are you feeling? Mom said you were hurt pretty bad."

"I'm doing good now." Jeremy said. "Be good as new in a few months."

"Good. Thanks for stopping by today." She said again before Jeremy nodded and left.

XXXX

Luke grunted as he looked at the political campaign sign that had recently been pounded into his front lawn. It was much bigger than the once he'd been asked to put up. If the candidate were someone else, he'd have ripped the sign out of the lawn as fast as he could. Instead, he just grunted and walked toward the diner. He looked back over his shoulder at the sign as he walked and mumbled "Will Danes for Town Selectman". He turned back toward the diner and couldn't help but smirk at the sight. A huge banner was taking up the majority of the side of the diner that faced the town square, blocking the top half of the windows. Luke walked up the steps and was overwhelmed by the amount of activity buzzing around the new campaign headquarters. His mind immediately flashed back to when Jackson Bellville had run for Selectman. The diner looked almost the same except that it was now his son running. Sookie and Lorelai proclaimed themselves co campaign managers the minute Will mentioned wanting to run. Luke was surprised by Will's interest, but he also knew that Kirk had gotten on Will's last nerve which spurred his new found political interest. Kirk had somehow managed to take over for Taylor about ten years ago when Taylor died. Luke shook his head at how the town simply allowed Kirk to take over and run things just like Taylor did.

Will never really stepped out in leadership roles like Patrick did, but Luke suspected Will just didn't want to get in Patrick's way. Will was a good leader, but just hadn't found anything that sparked the passion Luke knew was inside him. Running for Selectman seemed to have brought Will out of his shell completely. The past few days Will had been walking around town in his best suit asking folks if he could place a sign on their lawn. He'd even written down his positions on all the important town political issues and started passing out flyers to anyone who'd take one. From the looks of things, Luke expected Will to cream Kirk in the election next month.

"You gunna order something or just stand there?" Jonathan barked as Luke stood in the middle of the diner.

"A little friendliness would go a long way to retain customers." Luke grunted before walking over to where Sookie and Lorelai were sitting, working on the campaign. Luke picked up a button that said in big blue letters "Will for Selectman!" and pinned it on his shirt. Lorelai looked at him like he had two heads before he crossed his arms and frowned. "What? I'm supporting Will." He huffed.

"I've never ever seen you wear a political button, much less give a hoot about politics."

"I'm supporting Will." Luke insisted. "We could all use a little less Kirk in this town."

"And here comes our future Selectman now!" Sookie exclaimed as Will entered the diner with Jacob in his arms.

"You stealing kids now? I don't think that'll help you get elected." Luke joked.

"No, just borrowing him for the afternoon." Will said and passed Jacob to Lorelai when he reached for her. "He's good for publicity."

"Just don't take it too far." Luke warned. "I won't have my Grandson being used and then dumped to the sidelines."

"Don't worry Dad. It's just a once in a while thing." Will assured him. "I'm trying to get votes from young families, so I need to show that I like kids. I'm for good strong schools and better parks, but I don't think it's enough to just say that I'm going to work for things families want in this town. I have to show that I'm serious about all that."

"Why don't you just rent a family for the duration of the campaign?" Luke joked and shook his head as Will seemed to be considering it. "Will, everyone in this town has known you since you were born. I serious doubt you could rent a family and everyone would believe it."

"I know" Will agreed. "Hey, can I get a burger and fries?" He turned and yelled at Jonathan who nodded and went back into the kitchen. "How's it going here?" Will asked Lorelai and Sookie.

"Good. We're passing out buttons and flyers. Spreading the word that Will's the one to vote for." Sookie answered.

"Thanks for all the help." Will nodded.

"You're welcome. Who knows, maybe this will be just the start of your political career. It might be nice to mention that your Mom and Aunt Sookie helped start your political career when you write your memoirs." Lorelai noted.

"Should I write those before or after I serve my second term as President of the United States?" Will laughed.

"After." Lorelai said. "More to write about that way."

"Ok, be sure to write a lot about our family." Luke also joked. "I wouldn't want the world to be deprived of hearing about The Danes."

"Yeah, well let's focus on winning the current election first." Will said.

"Excuse me" A tall brunette young woman said as she approached the campaign table. "I'm Melissa. I'm looking for Mr. Danes."

"Ok, which one?" Will asked as he looked at her.

"There's more than one?" She asked and Will nodded. "Uh, Will Danes."

"That's me" Will smiled and shook her hand. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to see about an internship with your campaign. I go to University of Connecticut and I'm majoring in Political Science. One of my professors said I should get involved in a local campaign, so that's why I'm here. I'd like to help."

"Ok" Will said hesitantly. "I can't pay you or anything."

"I realize that. I'm just looking for experience working for a campaign." Melissa said confidently.

"Well, this is a small town, so there really isn't much to the campaign, but you're welcome to participate if you'd like." Will shrugged.

"Sounds good to me."

"I don't even have a website, so maybe we should start by doing a little research." Will said and handed her a flyer from the table. "Those are all of my political positions. Why don't we discuss it over lunch?"

"Sure" Melissa said as she looked over the flyer. Will ordered another burger and they took their lunch outside to the gazebo while Lorelai, Luke, and Sookie watched.

"Maybe he won't have to rent a family after all." Luke suggested.

"That was a little weird. Some college girl just shows up and wants to help run the campaign." Lorelai frowned. "Is she up to something?"

"It's college. They have to start somewhere. Working for a small town campaign is probably a really good place to start." Sookie noted. "Plus, she's cute. I bet Will's in love by the end of the day!" She laughed.

"Sitting in that gazebo for lunch is dangerous for that." Luke nodded.

"It is." Lorelai smiled at Luke.


	37. Chapter 37

The weekend came and brought Rory back to Stars Hollow for the third week in a row. Again, Joel had to work, so Rory was flying solo. She took Friday off of work and arrived at Luke and Lorelai's house around noon. She picked up lunch from Luke's and ate with Catherine and Lorelai back at the house since Catherine was still on bed rest. After they'd finished lunch, Rory took Catherine to her doctor's appointment.

"Are you excited or nervous?" Rory asked as she sat in the waiting room with Catherine.

"A little of both." Catherine replied. "I think I'm going to find out if it's a boy or a girl today. I could have a while ago, but I keep chickening out."

"You don't have to find out the gender right now if you don't want to."

"I know, but I think I want to know. I want to start buying a few things and it would be good to know if I should be buying dresses or overalls." She shrugged.

"It's your choice to find out or not, but I think it might be fun to find out."

"Ok, I think it's time to find out." Catherine nodded just as a nurse called her name. They were escorted back to an exam room where the doctor quickly joined them and went through the exam. Everything looked good and the baby was doing really well.

"Can I find out the gender of the baby?" Catherine asked the doctor as she moved the ultrasound wand over Catherine's belly.

"Yes, you can. Are you sure you want to?" The doctor asked.

"Yes. What is it?"

The doctor moved the wand around again before looking back at Catherine. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Catherine smiled knowing how many times she'd asked what the baby's gender was and then backed out at the last minute.

"Really sure?" She asked one last time.

"Yes" Catherine insisted.

"Ok….it's…."The doctor paused before Catherine nodded for her to continue. "It's a boy!"

"Really? Wow, a boy." Catherine smiled.

"Congratulations." Rory smiled and squeezed her daughter's hand.

"Thanks." Catherine smiled.

The doctor finished the exam and Catherine and Rory were soon on their way back to Stars Hollow. Rory quickly changed directions and stopped the car at a shopping center in Litchfield.

"I thought we could take a quick detour. Do a little shopping before we head back." Rory explained.

"I'm not supposed to do a lot of walking."

"We'll just pick up a few new things and maybe get an outfit for the baby?"

"Something blue?" Catherine smiled as they got out of the car.

"Exactly" Rory nodded.

They kept the shopping short and returned to Stars Hollow. Lorelai was home drinking coffee in the living room and Catherine quickly announced that Lorelai was going to have a Great Grandson. There was much celebrating and coffee drinking by Lorelai and Rory before Rory realized how tired she really was.

"I think I'm going to take a nap, if you two don't mind." Rory said and yawned.

"Go ahead." Catherine nodded. "You've had a busy day so far. I'll come get you around dinner time?"

"Sounds good." Rory nodded and walked upstairs to nap.

XXXXX

"Rory!" Lorelai called from the bottom of the stairs, causing Rory to groan and wake up from her short nap. Rory wondered what her Mother could possibly want, but got out of bed and huffed down the hallway and halfway down the stairs before she stopped and starred at who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

Joel was standing at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a suit and tie, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a garment bag in the other. Lorelai stood next to him, look up at Rory, grinning like she knew a secret.

"You have a gentleman caller." Lorelai joked.

"Joel?" Rory questioned as she walked down the stairs and stood in front of her husband.

"Hi" Joel smiled before kissing her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had to work?"

"I never work on this day."

"Huh?" Rory frowned in confusion.

"It's our anniversary." Joel smiled.

"Oh my gosh!" Rory gasped, realizing that she'd completely forgotten. "Joel, I'm so sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it." Joel cut her off. "The last few weeks have been crazy. Plus, I wanted to surprise you with a nice evening just to ourselves. It's been a while since we went out on a date."

Rory smiled at his ability to be so sweet and thoughtful all the time. "Just what do you have in mind Mr. Alexander?"

"Well, Mrs. Alexander, I was hoping to get your Mother's permission to take you out to dinner in Hartford tonight"

"Only if you're back by curfew." Lorelai joked.

Rory squealed like a teenage girl and threw her arms around Joel's neck as he stepped back to catch his balance. "Oh crap. What am I going to wear?" Rory realized as she let go of Joel.

"I brought you a few choices." He smiled and handed her the garment bag. "I also got you a little something new, but thought you'd like to pick from a few different things."

"Why Mr. Alexander, you think of everything, don't you?" She smiled and took the bag from him before kissing him. She turned to walk back up the stairs and stopped before turning back to Lorelai. "Hey Mom, want to help me get ready for my date?"

"Yes" Lorelai giggled before linking arms with Rory and climbing the stairs.

"The limo will be here at five!" Joel yelled before shaking his head and taking the flowers to the kitchen to find a vase for them.

Upstairs, Rory opened the garment bag and laid each outfit on the bed for further examination.

"Joel's good at picking out your clothes." Lorelai said as she held up a nice blue dress.

"That one's new." Rory said and looked at it. "I like it. Very elegant. Joel's always had good taste."

"He married you, so of course he has good taste." Lorelai smiled. "Wear this one" She said and held the dress out to Rory.

"Ok" She said and looked through the other items in the garment bag. She opened a familiar jewelry box and smiled before handing it to her Mom. "Joel gave me that necklace on our wedding night."

"It's very beautiful." Lorelai nodded.

XXXXX

At five minutes to five o'clock, Lorelai walked down the stairs and looked for Joel. She found him in the living room watching TV.

"Your date is ready." Lorelai said happily.

"She's early" Joel said before standing up and walking toward the stairs. He held his breath as Rory descended the stairs in the new dark blue cocktail dress he'd bought for her. It fit her perfectly and brought out the brilliant blue of her eyes. She wore the diamond necklace he'd given her when they got married and her hair was loosely curled. As Rory reached the bottom step of the stairs, she paused and smiled at Joel before he pulled her forward and into a passionate kiss. "Wow. You look….wow." He breathed as their lips parted.

"Easy Mr., we haven't even left the house yet." Rory laughed.

"We may not leave with you looking this smoking hot." Joel said in awe.

Lorelai cleared her throat to remind them of her presence, which caused Joel to blush slightly and Rory to laugh and shake her head.

"You don't look too bad yourself, you know." Rory whispered to Joel as she straightened his tie. "You know how much I like you in a suit."

A knock on the door interrupted them and Lorelai happily answered it. The limo Joel had arranged for was waiting outside and Lorelai smiled and wished Joel and Rory a good time as they left. "Have her back by midnight!" Lorelai joked to Joel as he looked back and smiled at her.

"Will she turn into a pumpkin if I don't?" He joked before Rory shook her head.

"I don't think that's how the story went."

Joel shrugged as the driver opened the back door of the limo and Rory carefully got inside. She slid over and Joel joined her before the driver shut the door. As they drove to Hartford, Joel opened a bottle of Champaign and poured them each a glass.

"To us" Joel smiled before clinking glasses with Rory.

"I love you" Rory said after they'd taken a sip and she held his hand. "This is so sweet of you to plan a special evening like this. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. The date could be a dud." He laughed.

"You're here and we're spending time together. No way that could be a dud." Rory smiled before kissing him.

"You're in a sappy mood." Joel smiled before kissing her again.

"It's our anniversary. I'm allowed to be sappy."

"True." Joel agreed. "Not to be too sappy myself, but do you realize that this is the last anniversary we'll have before becoming Grandparents?"

"Well, then we better party like it's 1999, Grandpa!" She snickered.

"I never thought I'd say this, but you are the hottest Grandma I've ever seen." He laughed.

"That sounds so wrong." Rory snickered. "But I totally get what you mean."

Joel and Rory laughed and joked the rest of the way to Hartford, but became much more serious once they arrived at the restaurant. They enjoyed a martini at the bar before being seated and then ordered a fancy bottle of wine with their dinner. Joel had ordered a special orange blossom cheesecake for dessert, but they were both way to full from dinner to eat it, so they had it packed up to go home. Joel surprised Rory yet again by taking her to a fancy hotel suite that he'd rented for the night. He'd even planned ahead and arranged for their suitcases to be delivered to the room. Rory texted Lorelai and Catherine so they wouldn't worry when she didn't come home for the night before kicking off her heals and opening the bottle of Champaign waiting on ice for them. It wasn't long before Joel's hands were on Rory's back and he was kissing her wildly.

About an hour later, Rory lay in bed, wrapped in a silk robe eating a slice of cheesecake. "This is amazing." Rory sighed as Joel climbed back into bed in his boxers with the bottle of Champaign in his hand.

"That's what you said to me a few minutes ago. Surely the two couldn't be the same level of amazingness." He joked.

"You're right, the cheesecake is better." She deadpanned before giggling at Joel's fake hurt look.

"More Champaign?" Joel asked as he took a drink directly from the bottle.

"Haven't we had enough to drink tonight?"

"More than enough." Joel said as he passed her the bottle and she took a drink. "I'm too drunk to remember exactly how much though."

"That makes two of us."

"Happy twenty-fourth anniversary Mrs. Alexander." Joel said before kissing Rory.

"Happy anniversary Mr. Alexander." Rory smiled and fed him a piece of her cheesecake. "You keep planning these amazing anniversary celebrations, I don't know how you're going to top this."

"I'll find a way." He smiled. "Remember our first anniversary?"

"Boy do I ever." Rory laughed. "I still have the evidence of that one."

"That's right." Joel smirked before reaching over and beginning to lift Rory's robe over her rear end in an attempt to see the tattoo on her hip.

"Hey" Rory laughed and slapped his hand away.

"Seriously? We just had sex and you're batting me away from looking at the tattoo on your hip? I've seen you naked thousands of times." Joel laughed.

"Fine" Rory sighed and pulled the robe up high enough so Joel could see the tattoo on her hip of a rose and his name.

"I like this." He whispered before kissing her tattooed skin.

"You like that I'm branded?" Rory huffed. "Isn't that a little cave man like?"

"Probably." Joel shrugged. "I just like how permanent it is and how out of character it is for you. If you really hate the tattoo, you can get it removed, I've said it's fine with me."

"No, I'll keep it. I like that you like it." Rory smiled. "Although, Mom did see it a while back and tease me mercilessly about it."

Joel smile and kissed her hip again before pulling her robe back down and scooting back up the bed. "There is something special about this cheesecake though. Do you remember?" He asked.

Rory took another bite and shook her head after she couldn't figure out what Joel was talking about.

"We had Orange Blossom Cheesecake the night we got engaged."

"Oh right!" Rory remembered. "We had a nice dinner and very good dessert before we went for a walk along the waterfront in Seattle and then you proposed."

"Best decision I ever made." Joel smiled before Rory fed him another bite of cheesecake. "I realized a long time ago how damn lucky I am to have you as my wife. I love you so much Rory."

"I love you too Joel." Rory smiled and set the remaining bit of cheesecake on the bedside table along with the bottle of Champaign before cuddling close to Joel. "You came into my life when I was a complete mess. In the midst of all my confusion, you made sense. You've always made perfect sense to me. You stuck with me through everything and put up with all of my craziness for the last twenty-four years. I don't know how you did it, but thank you. Thank you so much for being you and for loving me."

"You've done just as much if not more for me." Joel insisted. "I love you more than I can say. I never really thought I'd be so lucky as to spend my life with you let alone have two amazing kids on top of that. We are so blessed."

"We really are." Rory agreed. "I love you Joel."

"Love you Rory." He said and pulled her closer.

"It's pretty amazing." Rory thought out loud.

"What is?"

"This life we have. You and me. Ben and Catherine."

"I like it." Joel joked before agreeing with her. "It really is pretty awesome. Ben and Catherine are so completely breath taking at times. To think that you and I had something to do with them just blows me away."

"I know." Rory agreed. "Both of them have been through a lot this past year, but I know things are just going to get better as time goes on. Ben is in remission and he's got a great girlfriend, which could turn into more down the road. Catherine's been through a terrible divorce and is now having a baby as a single mom, but I know she's going to rise to the challenge and be an amazing mother. Both of our kids are strong, intelligent, caring individuals and I love them with all my heart. We're so lucky to be their parents."

"We really are." Joel agreed. He held Rory tightly until they both drifted off to sleep.

Joel and Rory slept in and then went out for a big breakfast to cure their hangovers. After that, they spent the day walking around Hartford and exploring all that the city had to offer. Joel arranged for another limo to pick them back up and take them to Stars Hollow just as it was getting dark. As the limo slowly approached the town square, Rory could see that it was decorated for some sort of special occasion. It looked like the firelight festival, but Rory knew it was the wrong time of year for that.

"I wonder what's going on?" Rory thought out loud.

"I don't know." Joel smirked.

"What's going on Joel?" Rory asked.

"It's a celebration." Joel said vaguely.

"For….?"

"You" Joel said matter of factly. "It's a special 'Rory' festival. I know how much you love all the Stars Hollow festivals, so I pulled a few strings and had them set this up. It's got all the food you like and all the people who love you. I even got a band to come so we can dance. Remember when we used to go dancing?"

"Joel, this is too much." Rory gasped as the limo slowed to a stop and she and Joel exited the limo. Everyone in the square began to clap as Joel led Rory to the dance floor.

The tune of "Isn't it Romantic" began to play softly as Joel held Rory's right hand in his left and wrapped his right arm around her waist to pull her closer. It wasn't a rehearsed or fancy dance, it was simple, slow, and purely Rory and Joel. Just two people moving slowly and comfortably in each other's arms.

"Joel this is amazing." Rory said as the song ended and other couples joined them on the dance floor.

"Excuse me Sir, but may I cut in?" Ben asked Joel before Joel stepped aside. "How's the anniversary going so far?" Ben asked Rory as they danced.

"Amazing." Rory said in awe. "Your Dad really did an amazing job."

"He loves you and wants you to relax. You work really hard all the time Mom, so you deserve a romantic weekend." Ben shrugged. "Plus, it's been forever since you two have been dancing. I remember when I was really little that I would sneak out of my room after I was supposed to be in bed and watch you and Dad dance slowly in the living room. I always thought it looked so peaceful."

"Really? You used to spy on us?" Rory smiled. "How come we never caught you?"

"Dad caught me a few times." Ben admitted. "He would just make eye contact with me and nod toward the bedroom. I knew that was my cue to get back to bed."

Meanwhile, other couples danced slowly around the floor, also enjoying themselves. Martha had reluctantly dragged Patrick onto the dance floor and was currently leaning against him while they slowly moved back and forth. Jenny, who was nine months pregnant and about to go into labor any minute, insisted that she wanted to join the fun and pulled Sam to the floor. They couldn't dance as close as they used to, but it was cute to see them try anyway. Luke and Lorelai were dancing off to the side of everyone else, watching their children and enjoying the festivities. Joel found Catherine lying down on a couch a few of the Danes boys had carried to the festival so she could enjoy it also.

"Would you like to dance?" Joel asked Catherine as he extended his hand to her.

"I don't think I'm supposed to." Catherine frowned.

"I don't think one slow dance will hurt anything. Plus, I'm short a dance partner." Joel said sadly and stuck his lower lip out in an attempt to pout.

"Ok, one dance." Catherine agreed and slowly stood up to join her Dad on the dance floor. "I love this song." Catherine sighed as "The Way You Look Tonight" played.

"Lovely, never ever change…keep that breathless charm…I will feel a glow…just thinking of you…and the way you look tonight." Joel whispered in Catherine's ear as they danced.

Catherine quickly wiped her eyes and smiled at her Dad. "You're making me cry, you sap." She joked. "And I think you have the words a little out of order."

Joel shrugged at his mistake. "eh, I'm getting older, my mind is slipping." He joked before becoming serious. "It's true though, you are beautiful. You've got that whole glowing pregnancy thing going on." Joel smiled.

"Thank goodness Mom took me shopping to get a few new clothes." Catherine sighed. "I can't even pretend my regular clothes fit anymore. If Mom hadn't bought me this cute maternity dress, I'd be standing here in a pair of old sweatpants and one of Grandpa's old t-shirts."

"That would be kind of funny." Joel laughed.

"Especially since you're wearing a tie." Catherine pointed out. "You and Mom look really happy tonight."

"We are. We love each other a lot." Joel said simply.

"Did you hear my news?"

"You're pregnant?" Joel laughed.

"Ya think?" Catherine laughed and pointed at her belly. "I found out the gender of the baby. It's a boy!"

"That's great!" Joel smiled. "A Grandson."

"Yes." Catherine nodded. "Now I just have to decide on a name."

"I'm sure you'll pick something great." Joel assured her as the song came to an end.

"Thanks for the dance Dad." She smiled and kissed his cheek before returning to the couch and sitting down.

Jenny waddled over to where Catherine was sitting on the couch and plopped down next to her. "Mind if I join you?" Jenny asked.

"Go ahead." Catherine said. "Getting uncomfortable?"

"Ugh. You have no idea." Jenny huffed. "Just wait until you're this far along."

"I can hardly wait." Catherine joked. "I went to the doctor today. I found out that I'm having a boy!"

"Congratulations!" Jenny smiled. "That's great."

"I know. Only problems is that I don't know anything about little boys."

"You'll figure it out." Jenny assured her. "Have you thought of a name for him?"

"I'm still working on names." Catherine explained. "I have two that I really like for first names; Nathan and Alexander. I really want to name the baby after my Dad, but I'm not sure I want to name the baby Joel. His middle name is Nathan, but I kind of like Alexander better. That would be nice to have his first name as my maiden name."

"And your last name again." Jenny pointed out. "Wouldn't it be weird to have a kid with the first name Alexander while your last name is Alexander? Does that mean you won't use Alexander as a last name?"

"Maybe a little confusing, but I don't know that my last name will be Alexander forever. There is no way that I would name my son Alexander Alexander. That would be really really weird. Besides, I was planning to give the baby Jeremy's last name. It seems like the right thing to do, especially now that I know it's a boy. Maybe I'm a little old fashioned, but I think it's right that a son have the same last name as his father."

"Sounds like you've really given it a lot of thought." Jenny nodded. "I think it's a good choice to use Forrester for a last name. I get what you're thinking there. What about a middle name? That might determine the first name depending on how it all flows together."

"Benjamin" Catherine smiled.

"That's so nice to use Ben's name. I'm sure he'll really like that." Jenny smiled. "So you're thinking the baby's name will be either Alexander Benjamin Forrester or Nathan Benjamin Forrester. That's a tough choice. I like them both."

"Me too. I guess I'll think about it a while longer and then decide."

**AN: Here's your chance to add something to the story. Let me know which name you like better for Catherine's baby via review or PM. The name with the most votes wins! Hope you're all still enjoying the story. There will be another update soon.**


	38. Chapter 38

Jenny held the small pink baby girl in her arms and smiled at her. "Hi baby girl." She whispered. The doctor and nurses had just left and she, Sam, and the baby were alone for the first time.

"She's beautiful." Sam breathed as he stood next to the bed and looked at the baby.

"The most beautiful baby girl in the whole world." Jenny added. "Hey, you haven't held her yet, sit here." Jenny instructed him and moved over so Sam could sit next to her. She carefully handed the baby to him and he adjusted her in his arms. "Say 'hi' to Daddy." Jenny smiled at them.

"Hi little girl." Sam whispered and clenched his jaw as his eyes filled with tears. Eventually, the tears fell from his eyes and slid down his face before Jenny began to wipe them away. "Sorry" Sam said and wiped his face with his shirt sleeve.

"It's ok Sam. It's sweet." Jenny said lovingly. "She kind of takes your breath away."

"Yeah, she sure does." Sam agreed before clearing his throat. "I should go get my parents. They're probably pretty anxious to meet this little lady." He said and handed the baby back to his wife.

Sam walked down the hallway to the waiting room and was surprised to find Luke and Lorelai propped up against each other sleeping in two chairs. Jenny had gone into labor just after she and Sam got home from Rory's party. The family had wanted to camp out at the hospital, but after a few hours, they all went home to wait. Luke and Lorelai had insisted on staying until the baby was born, so they'd been at the hospital the entire time. "Hey, Mom, Dad." Sam said and touched his Mom's shoulder.

"Hmm" Lorelai grumbled before hitting Luke's chest. "Luke, wake up."

"I'm up." Luke grumbled and looked up at Sam. "Everything ok?"

"Yes, everyone is healthy and safe." Sam explained.

"The baby's here?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

"Yes, she's here." Sam smiled. "It's a girl!"

"Yay!" Lorelai exclaimed and jumped up to hug Sam before Luke stood and shook his hand while slapping him on the back.

"Congratulations Son. Can we see her?" Luke asked.

"Right this way." Sam smiled and escorted them down the hallway to Jenny's room. "Where did Jenny's parents go? I thought they were waiting with you?"

"They went home to sleep about an hour ago." Lorelai said. "How long was Jenny in labor? Eighteen hours?"

"Nineteen." Sam clarified.

"Wow." Lorelai nodded. "She's a trooper."

They quickly arrived at Jenny's room and Sam ushered his parents inside while beaming proudly at his daughter in his wife's arms. Luke and Lorelai stood near the bed and looked at the baby with awe and excitement in their eyes.

"Who wants to hold her first?" Jenny asked.

"You go first." Lorelai prodded Luke. "I'm not letting her go once I get my hands on her."

Luke sat next to Jenny's bed as Sam handed him his newborn granddaughter. Luke smiled at the small pink bundle. She yawned and turned her head toward the soft flannel of Luke's shirt. Lorelai smiled and leaned over Luke's shoulder to look at the little baby.

"She likes you Grandpa." Jenny smiled at Luke.

"She's beautiful." Luke whispered. "Have you decided on a name?"

"Yes." Sam nodded. "We're going to call her Evelyn Victoria Danes. Evelyn was Jenny's grandmother's name and Victoria is for Mom and Abby."

"Beautiful." Lorelai nodded. "Hi Evelyn." She smiled at the little baby girl.

"I think we're going to call her Evie for short." Jenny added.

"Evie" Luke whispered and trembled slightly before Sam rested his hand on Luke's shoulder. Neither said anything, but Luke nodded and cleared his throat after a few minutes.

"Ok, ok. My turn." Lorelai proclaimed. She quickly took the baby from Luke and sat on the edge of the bed. "Beautiful girl." She whispered.

XXXX

"Hi Mom." Rory said as Lorelai answered the phone. "I just got the pictures you sent. She's a beautiful baby."

"Yes, she is." Lorelai agreed.

"You're getting all those grandbabies you wanted." Rory said. "Remember when you complained about not having any at Catherine's wedding?"

"Yes, I've gotten two in one year now. I should be more careful for what I wish for." Lorelai joked. "If we keep going at this rate, I'll have more grandchildren than I know what to do with."

"Is there such a thing as too many grandchildren?"

"Never."

"Well, you're sure to get a whole bunch of them now."

"Will you show the pictures to everyone else and let them know they can come visit the hospital now?"

"Sure. I'll rally the troops." Rory joked. "You want them in shifts or all at once?"

"I don't know. Might be just as well to come all at once." Lorelai reasoned.

"Ok. I'll take care of it."

XXXXX

"That was insane." Joel said as he and Rory left the hospital hand in hand. "I loved seeing the baby, but I don't know that I've ever been so physically close to your entire family like that before."

"I know. There were way too many people in that hospital room." Rory agreed. "It was nice to be in one place though. We won't all be together again until the holidays with Jonathan, Adam, Abby, and Ben going off to school."

"True. I'm surprised Ben didn't transfer to a school out here. I know he really likes school, but I thought he'd want to be close to Madelyn, not on the opposite side of the country."

"I think they may have had an argument about that." Rory explained and shook her head. "Ben stormed into the house in a huff the other night, but he wouldn't really talk about it. From what I heard, he wanted to transfer to a school out here, but Madelyn didn't want him to. I don't think they're on the same page with the relationship. I don't really understand why they aren't. From what I understood, they were both really serious about each other, especially after they lived together all summer. Maybe Madelyn's just getting a little scared of commitment or something."

"That's too bad. Are you sure Ben's not the one who put a wrench in things?"

Rory shrugged. "I guess he could have. I just got the vibe that he was hurt by whatever happened."

"Are they still together?"

"I think so."

"You're unusually bad with these details." Joel joked. "I guess I'll just have to pull Ben aside and interrogate him myself."

"And then fill me in."

"Deal" Joel nodded as they reached the car and got inside. Joel drove quietly for a few minutes until he broke the silence. "I really wish Catherine would reconsider her school decisions."

"You know as well as I do that we can't change her mind once it's made up." Rory shook her head. "She'll go back once she gets things under control with the baby. She just wants to take this semester off so she doesn't stress herself out while she's supposed to be on bed rest. There will be a couple months after she has the baby before spring semester starts, so I'm sure she'll go back then. It's not like she's quitting school."

"I hope she doesn't quit. She's far too intelligent to just give up." Joel added. "Do you think if we had a house here and spent more time here that Catherine would go back to school right away?"

"Maybe." Rory said.

"I'm going to have a meeting with Patrick tomorrow and talk about me working for The Danes Group." Joel blurted out.

"Really? That's great. We should talk about investing in the company. Patrick's just starting out and it can't be easy saving money for the business now that he has Jacob and being engaged to Martha. They'll need both of their incomes for their family. Will was supposed to be helping Patrick with the business, but now that he's running for Selectman, it's basically Patrick by himself. I'm sure if you work for Patrick and invest in the company, you'll be a shoe in."

"Can Will afford to leave his job with Patrick? Isn't he going to need an income?"

"Town Selectman is a paid position. Selectman itself doesn't pay that well, but when Taylor was in charge he somehow managed to have the Selectman automatically be appointed to several town committees, which are all paid. The combination of everything is a pretty good income, so Will won't need any other income."

"Huh" Joel said. "Stars Hollow always amazes me."

"For once, Taylor's legacy is benefiting the Danes family. He's probably rolling over in his grave." Rory smiled.

"Yeah, even though I never met the guy, I can totally picture it from what you've said about him." Joel laughed. "Abby seems really excited about going back to school." He changed the subject.

"I think she may be packed already." Rory laughed. "She can't wait to see David again. School probably isn't all that interesting to her, but it's a way for her to be closer to David."

"I really like David. He's a good guy and he's been really good for Abby." Joel said. "She's really cut back on all the partying and focused in on school."

"I agree. I think we're seeing the real Abby now that she's not drunk half of the time." Rory noted. "It's refreshing and I'm so glad that she didn't continue down that road."

Joel nodded in agreement. "Is Jonathan finishing school this year?"

"Yup" Rory nodded. "He's getting a business degree, but I don't think he really knows what he wants to do. Maybe he'll work with Patrick." She shrugged.

"I'm sure Patrick could use a hand."

"Yeah, we'll see, I guess. It seems like all the Danes men have a habit of being real quiet about plans and ideas. Then all of a sudden everything seems to snap into place and they have their lives all figured out. It's a little weird, to be honest."

"It's not so bad. They're just thinkers and introverts. Nothing wrong with that." Joel nodded as he pulled the car into Luke and Lorelai's driveway. "I guess we should get some dinner and then head to bed."

"Thanks for the play by play." Rory nodded. "Let's cook something. It's been too long since we cooked together."

"Ok, cooking it is." Joel agreed. "Indian food?"

"Only if I want my Mom to kill me."

"Huh?"

"Mom doesn't like the smell of Indian food. She says it stinks up the house." Rory explained.

"Ok, we'll cook something else."

As Rory and Joel entered the house, they saw Ben and Catherine in the living room talking.

"Hey guys. What's happening?" Rory asked and sat down with them.

"Nothing." Ben quickly grunted.

"Really? If it's about Madelyn, you know you can talk to us about it, right?" Joel asked cautiously.

"I don't really want to talk about it." Ben grunted again.

"Ok…." Joel sighed.

"We broke up." Ben spat out. "I proposed to her and she dumped me."

"Whoa, what?" Rory asked. "You proposed?"

"Yes." Ben sighed. "I thought that it felt like the right time. I figured we could have a long engagement if she didn't want to get married right away. I've only got about a year and a half of school, so we could wait until I'm done, if she wanted. As soon as I asked her if she'd marry me, she just looked at me in shock and then said no. She won't even talk to me about it! She just said no and then ran off! I thought maybe she need some time to cool off, so I walked around town for a while. When I went to her place to check on her, all my stuff was in boxes on the front porch. She won't answer the door or take my calls."

"I'm really sorry Ben." Joel said and patted Ben on the back.

"Ben, I'm so sorry too." Rory added before hugging Ben. "I don't really know Madelyn that well, but she seemed to really care about you. Maybe she just got scared and thought it was too soon. She's really quiet and reserved, so maybe she just panicked and said 'no' out of fear."

"But then why won't she talk to me about it? She knows me well enough to know that I'd never push her to do anything she wasn't ready for. If she wanted to wait longer before getting married, I'd wait. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, but I don't think she feels the same." Ben said sadly.

"I can talk to her if you want." Catherine offered.

"No, please just stay out of this. Everyone, please. I already feel horrible and I don't want to cause any trouble with Madelyn." Ben sighed. "If she doesn't want me in her life, then I just have to respect that."

"We're so sorry Ben." Rory said again and hugged him. "Dad and I are going to cook dinner. What do you want?"

"Anything?" Ben asked, his voice perking up a bit.

"Anything" Joel nodded.

"Fried Chicken" Ben smiled.

"Coming right up" Rory smiled and jumped up.

"That sounds so good." Catherine added. "Good choice."

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Joel whispered as they entered the kitchen.

"That we should stay a few more days?"

"Yeah." Joel nodded and began to pull ingredients out of the fridge. "I can stay here until Wednesday at the latest."

"I have a class Tuesday night, but we could leave here Tuesday morning and that would be fine."

"I'll call the airline and get our tickets switched after dinner." Joel said.

Rory and Joel worked quickly to get dinner going before the family returned home from the hospital. As Rory was carefully watching the chicken cook in a cast iron skillet, Lorelai walked into the kitchen and stopped as she saw what Rory was doing.

"What are you doing?" Lorelai asked.

"Cooking" Rory said without looking up from the stove.

"I'm sorry. I'm having a hard time with this. Seeing you cook is hard for my brain to handle." Lorelai joked as she moved closer to Rory and looked at what Joel was chopping on the counter. "This is really weird Rory."

"Mom, you've seen us cook before." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Only a few times and never in my kitchen. Heck, I don't even cook in my kitchen!"

"Joel and I figured it would be nice to have dinner done when you all got home from the hospital. We can stop cooking, if you'd like." Rory joked.

"No, no, please continue." Lorelai insisted. "It's just really weird to see how comfortable you are cooking."

"I've been doing it for over twenty years." Rory rolled her eyes again before realizing how hurtful her words sounded. "Oh, I'm sorry Mom. I really didn't mean it like that."

"It's ok." Lorelai shrugged.

"No, I shouldn't have been so insensitive. I'm sorry." Rory said seriously before hugging her Mom.

"Hey, if you're such a good and experienced cook, how come this is the first time you're making dinner for everyone?" Lorelai asked after Rory had gone back over to the stove.

"Because it's a lot of work." Joel answered.

"And because I'm lazy." Rory laughed. "Let's be honest."

"I hope you're cooking a lot because everyone's going to be really hungry when they get here."

XXXXX

The next afternoon, a strong wind blew across the town square, ripping the "Will Danes for Selectman!" sign off of the diner. Melissa saw the whole thing happen and rushed out of the diner to pick up the sign. She found an old ladder in the alley behind the diner and was currently working to get the sign back up, which was proving more difficult than she thought. As Melissa fumbled with the sign, she lost her balance on the ladder, but was quickly held in place by a passing stranger.

"Careful" He said as she regained her balance. "You want some help with that sign?"

"Yeah, that'd be great." Melissa said. "I'm Melissa, Will Danes' new assistant campaign manager."

"Jeremy" He said and shook her hand before holding up the edge of the sign so Melissa could secure it to the building.

"Do you live in Stars Hollow?" Melissa asked.

"Yes"

"Are you going to vote for Will?"

"Probably. Kirk's kind of a pain and he's been in charge long enough now. This town could use some new leadership." Jeremy shrugged before finishing with the sign. He helped Melissa attach her end of the sign before she held onto his shoulder and climbed down the ladder.

"Thanks for your help Jeremy. You're really strong. I wouldn't have been able to hold that sign up all by myself." She said and batted her eyelashes at Jeremy.

"You're welcome."

Will noticed the entire exchange from across the square as he walked toward the diner and got a little irritated that Jeremy was talking to Melissa. "I'll take it from here Jeremy. Thanks." Will nodded as he stood next to Melissa.

"Ok, Will." Jeremy nodded. "It was nice to meet you Melissa." He said before quickly walking away.

"Don't talk to that guy." Will huffed before touching Melissa's arm to pull her back into the diner.

"Excuse me?" Melissa scoffed and crossed her arms. 

"That guy is trouble." Will said.

"So you think you can just order me around like I'm some kind of idiot? I can take care of myself Will. It's up to me to decide who I talk to and who I don't." She said very seriously.

"Trust me, I'm doing you a favor."

"Well, don't. I don't need any favors." Melissa said and walked away from him.

Luke came out of the diner and put his hands on his hips as Will turned around. "What was that all about?" Luke huffed.

"She was flirting with Jeremy. I don't want her talking to him." Will informed him.

"So, you can just order her around?" Luke scoffed.

"You sound just like her."

"Son, you can't just bark out orders at women. It doesn't work that way. Not to mention that I didn't raise you to talk to women like that."

"Yeah, well, we're talking about Jeremy and Melissa. I don't think she should be around him."

"She doesn't know him." Luke reminded Will. "She has no idea the history between him and Catherine. Don't get your shorts in a bunch over some innocent flirting." Luke grunted before realizing something. "Unless…you have a crush on her? Do you like her Will?"

Will sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "Ok, fine. I like her."

"Well then ask her out!" Luke sighed. "What's holding you back?"

"She's my intern. That would not be good for the campaign."

"Then tell her how you feel and see if she'll wait until after the campaign is over. She'd only have to wait a couple weeks." Luke said. "Geez Will. Don't wait to ask her out if you like her. And don't order her around or tell her what to do; that's not how you get a girl to like you."

"Well what the hell do I do then?" Will said in frustration. "I keep asking her out to lunch and being nice to her. When's she going to get the message!"

Luke chuckled and shook his head at his son. He knew exactly how Will felt and for a minute he thought he was staring at a younger version of himself, trying to find a way to express his feelings to Lorelai. "Try asking her to dinner and buying her flowers. That should send a clear message."

"Seriously? That's it?"

"It's a lot more than that Will, but that's a good start." Luke nodded and slapped Will on the back before going back into the diner.


	39. Chapter 39

"Damn it Adam!" Luke bellowed from upstairs. Lorelai and Rory looked up from their coffee in the kitchen and leaned toward the stairs as they tried to figure out what was going on. Adam had brought a girl by the name of Megan Keller home and left her in the kitchen with Lorelai and Rory before he asked Luke to talk upstairs.

"I think that's my cue to leave." Megan said. "It was nice to meet you both. Thanks for the coffee. I'll talk to you both later." She said before quickly leaving the house.

"What was that all about?" Lorelai wondered as Adam and Luke came bounding down the stairs.

"Hey! You listen to me Adam!" Luke yelled before grabbing his son's shoulder and turning him around. "This is not how to solve a problem!"

"Yes it is Dad." Adam said firmly. "I fucked up. I get that. I'm being a man and taking care of this."

"No, this is not how to take care of these problems! After everything I've taught you and everything your brothers have taught you, how could you be this stupid!"

"Why are you always comparing me to my brothers!" Adam fumed. "I'm sorry I'm not an exact copy of you like Patrick is. Good old perfect Patrick. Just because I'm not gruff and scruffy like them and you doesn't mean I'm any less your son. I can't help who I am! I know you're disappointed that I'm not another Luke Jr., but you're just going to have to get over that. I'm sorry I screwed up, but I'm going to handle this in the way I see fit. If you don't want to support that, then you can just go to hell!" Adam yelled before turning away from Luke, stomping toward the front door, and slamming the door as he left.

"What is going on?" Lorelai asked as she looked at a stunned Luke.

Luke huffed and clenched his fists. "Adam knocked up Megan."

"What?" Lorelai snapped.

"Adam got Megan pregnant." Luke said in a calmer tone. "At some point during Adam's bender after Chelsea broke up with him, he met Megan. Apparently Adam slept with her and she got pregnant. She told him last night and they went out and eloped!"

"What?" Rory and Lorelai said simultaneously.

"They're married. He got her pregnant and now they're married." Luke threw up his hands.

"I need to sit down." Lorelai said and walked back into the kitchen.

"Is this really happening?" Rory asked.

"Unfortunately." Luke sighed. "I thought Adam knew better. He's seen Patrick and Sam go through similar things, I thought he would know to use birth control."

"Seems like Adam wasn't exactly in a clear state of mind when this happened." Rory said calmly.

Luke just shook his head and went to go join Lorelai, but Rory stopped him. "Luke, I know you are upset about this, but I have to say this. You and Mom were very supportive of Patrick when he found out about Jacob. You both helped him man up and learn how to take care of that little boy. You supported Sam and Jenny when they found out they were pregnant. I know that's a different situation, but you're not offering full support here. Why not do the same for Adam like you did for his brothers? I agree that getting married isn't going to solve the problem or make it right, but that's how Adam wants to deal with it. He's just trying to be a man and be there for Megan and the baby. You have to at least give him credit for that. Most guys his age would have run the other way. Adam's being responsible. It may not be the way you think he should go about it, but he's young and scared and just trying to do the right thing."

"He should have come to me first. I could have helped him fix this. Now he's going to be trapped into something he's not ready for."

"Yelling at him isn't going to change anything Luke." Rory sighed. "I'm going to go find him and talk to him."

Minutes later, Rory found Adam sitting on the bridge looking down at the slow moving water.

"Adam, is it ok if I sit with you." Rory asked while slowly approaching him.

"I guess." Adam shrugged his shoulders without looking up.

"This is a good spot to think." Rory said as she sat down. "Adam, I know you're overwhelmed-"

"I'm fine. I'm taking care of my mistake." He interrupted. "Dad's just pissed because I didn't ask him before I did it. He wasn't in control so he's angry."

"Adam, please don't be upset with your Dad. He loves you and he's just upset for you. You're his youngest son and he wants the best for you."

"He's always treated me differently." Adam sighed and cleared his throat. "I'm different than Pat, Will, Sam, and Jonathan. Mom says they take after Dad and I take more after her. For some reason Dad just can't see me as an equal to my brothers."

"I don't think that's true."

"Yes it is Rory. You don't see it because you just met us all about a year ago." Adam said before noticing the sad expression on Rory's face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hurt you like that."

"No, you're right Adam. I didn't see you and your siblings grow up. I do know that your Dad loves you a lot though."

"I'm just so sick of it." Adam sighed. "I'm married to Megan now and we're going to have a baby. I get that we moved fast and everyone thinks it was a mistake. I don't think it was, but if that turns out to be the case, it's my mistake to make."

"That's true."

"Don't tell anyone just yet…" Adam hesitated before continuing. "But Megan and I aren't going to stick around much longer. She's from New Hampshire, so we're going to go live there. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Adam, no." Rory gasped. "Please don't leave like that." She pleaded. "I did that and you know how it turned out. It's the biggest regret of my life. I know you think it's the only option right now, but please don't just leave. If you want to move closer to Megan's family, that's fine. Just don't suddenly disappear. Please, I know you'll regret it later if you do."

"I just want to be taken seriously Rory. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Real men don't just run away when the going gets tough."

"I'm not running away from my problem." Adam insisted. "Megan's family has a farm in New Hampshire. Her Dad and older brother run the place, but they need an extra hand. They offered me a job and I'm taking it."

"What about school?"

"I'm not going back." Adam said. "I never really wanted to go anyway. I'm just not interested in college. Sam didn't go and he's doing just fine."

"That's true, but I think you should consider going to school in New Hampshire if you can. I realize that you feel responsible to provide for your new family, but you may regret not having a college degree."

"I'm not going back this fall, but I'll think about it in the future. I have to make money now and prove to Megan's family that I can take care of her and the baby. I'm going to make this right and I'm going to do it my way." Adam insisted.

"You think leaving is the best way to do that?"

"Yes. I'm never going to be able to live my life here. I'm always going to be in Patrick, Will, Sam, and Jonathan's shadows. Jonathan not as much, but I've just never been able to live up to the other guys. I'm just the idiot little brother to everyone. I can't do it anymore Rory. I just can't."

Rory nodded. "So, what, you just go to New Hampshire and come visit Stars Hollow once in a while?"

"No, I'm leaving and not coming back."

"Adam, no. Don't do that." Rory said quietly.

"Well, I can't deal with all the drama everyone is going to create around here, so I'm out. I might come back once the dust has settled, but it's not going to be soon." Adam informed her. "Megan and I will be leaving tonight. I've already taken most of the stuff from my bedroom, so there's no reason to go back to the house." He sighed and stood up before helping Rory to stand.

"I really wish you'd reconsider Adam, but I have to respect your decision. You have my cell phone number right?" She asked and he nodded in response. "Call me anytime. Seriously, call me when you get to New Hampshire, this weekend, next weekend, anytime. Please stay in touch. If you won't talk to the rest of the family, please talk to me. I love you Adam. I know we just meet over a year ago and I should have been around from the beginning, but I wasn't and I can't change that. You know how much I regret that. Please don't end our relationship here. Please stay in contact." Rory pleaded softly.

"Ok." Adam agreed. "I'll call or text when Megan and I get to her parents place."

"Thank you." Rory sighed in relief. "If you and Megan ever need anything at all, please call me. I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Thanks." Adam nodded before smiling sadly and jamming his hands in his pockets. "Bye Rory." He said before quickly walking away.

"Bye" Rory whispered and watched him go. Her heart hurt more and more with every step Adam took until he was completely out of sight. Rory was suddenly overwhelmed with what she had to do next. She had to go tell her Mom that Adam was leaving. Rory willed her feet to move and slowly walked back to Luke and Lorelai's house. As she approached the house, Joel came out and looked at her with a frown.

"Did you talk to Adam? Where is he?" Joel asked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He's gone." Rory whispered before clearing her throat. "He said he needed to get out on his own and deal with this in his own way. He said he couldn't do that in Stars Hollow, so he was going to live with Megan's family in New Hampshire. He's not planning on coming back anytime soon."

"What?" Joel asked, stunned.

"Adam's gone." Rory said before beginning to cry as Joel pulled her into a hug. "I feel horrible. I should have stopped him. Mom's going to be devastated."

"Shh" Joel soothed her. "It's not your fault. You wouldn't have been able to stop Adam. He's an adult and it's his choice."

"I told him to call me when he gets there." Rory said after she calmed down a little. "I asked him to stay in contact with me no matter what happens."

"That's good." Joel nodded and stepped back.

"It doesn't feel like enough."

"It's all you can do in this situation without making it worse." Joel assured her.

"Now I have to walk into that house and tell Mom and Luke." Rory sighed and looked at the house. "They're going to be heartbroken."

Joel nodded and took Rory's hand in his. "I'll do it with you." He said and walked with her up the walkway and to the front door. They both took a deep breath before going inside and looking for Luke and Lorelai.

"Mom? Luke?" Rory said quietly as she found them in the kitchen table looking worried.

"Rory? Where's Adam?" Lorelai quickly asked.

Rory sighed and sat down at the table. "I talked to him. He's leaving with Megan. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's set on going back to her family's farm and living there with her."

"Where?" Luke asked.

"New Hampshire."

Luke jumped up from the table and grabbed his keys before taking off in his truck. Joel watched in silence as he joined Lorelai and Rory at the table. He really wanted to offer his perspective, but felt like this was Rory's time to deal with the situation.

"He went to New Hampshire?" Lorelai asked in confusion. "Why didn't he say goodbye? When is he coming back?"

"I don't know." Rory sighed. "He said he wanted to deal with everything on his own. He couldn't deal with everyone's opinion and trying to help. He just wanted to be on his own with Megan."

"But why? We're just shocked and confused. Why is leaving us going to make it better?" Lorelai asked with hurt in her eyes and desperation in her voice.

"I don't know Mom. Adam's upset and confused. Just give him time to figure it all out."

"What if he doesn't? He's leaving. What if he doesn't come back? What am I going to do?"

"I don't know." Rory whispered. It suddenly hit her how horrible it was for her to leave all those years ago. She knew it had to be hard for her Mom, but she had no idea just how much it had broken her heart. "I'm sorry." Rory whispered before pulling Lorelai into a hug.

"I don't understand." Lorelai said as she pulled away. "Everything was fine twenty-four hours ago. Adam finds out he got a girl pregnant and everything goes to hell. I thought Adam knew better than to take chances like that, but I guess not. Now he's gone and married her without even talking to us first? Of course we'd be upset, but we could have helped him figure out what to do before just marrying her. I'm sure she's a nice girl and I don't have anything against her, but marriage doesn't just solve everything, especially when they don't really know each other." Lorelai said. "I wish Adam was giving this more thought before making such big decisions."

"It's fast" Rory agreed.

"I hope this doesn't become a disaster." Lorelai sighed. "I think I'm going to go upstairs and lay down. I'm getting a headache."

"I'll sit with you." Rory added and followed Lorelai out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Joel watched them leave before letting out a sigh and rubbing his face with his hands. He wished there was something he could do to make the situation better, but he knew there wasn't.

"What's going on, Dad?" Catherine asked as she cautiously poked her head into the kitchen.

"Have a seat." Joel sighed and gestured toward the chairs. Catherine quickly sat down and looked at her Dad with concern written all over her face. "Did you hear all the yelling earlier?" He asked.

"Yeah. I've heard just about everything, but I stayed in my room until it all blew over. What's happening? Grandpa and Adam got into some sort of fight?"

"Remember when Adam's girlfriend, Chelsea, broke up with him a while back?" Joel asked and Catherine nodded. "Well, he spent the night with some girl named Megan and she told him last night that she was pregnant. Shortly after, they eloped. Adam brought her here tonight and told your Grandpa, which did not go over well. They had a huge blow up fight, which you heard, and Adam took off. Your Mom went and talked to Adam, but he insisted that he wanted to leave and just couldn't be in Stars Hollow any longer. Mom just told Grandma and Grandpa that Adam doesn't plan to come back." Joel explained.

"That's crazy." Catherine nodded. "So Grandpa took off to try to find Adam and Grandma's upstairs trying to hold herself together?"

"Pretty much. Grandpa just took off in his truck. I don't know where he went exactly." Joel clarified.

"So Adam might not ever come back?"

"Yeah" Joel nodded sadly. "No one really knows what's happening other than what I just told you."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't think so. I was just thinking of what I could do when you came in." Joel said. "Mom is trying to help Grandma, but I don't know what she can really do. In fact, it will probably take a toll on your Mom too. It's sort of like history repeating itself."

"Oh" Catherine realized.

"Yeah" Joel nodded. "I think it's best to just lay low for a while and help as best as we can. We can take care of the house work here."

"I thought you and Mom were leaving tomorrow?" Catherine frowned.

"Oh, I'd forgotten. Shoot. We really can't extend our stay any longer. Could you help out around here? I know you're not supposed to do a lot, but maybe you can get Ben to do most of the work."

"No problem. I'll call him and talk to him right away." Catherine nodded. She quickly left the room and shut her bedroom door before dialing Ben's number.

Joel continued to sit at the kitchen table for another hour until Luke finally came home.

"Joel" Luke nodded as he entered the kitchen and put his hands on his hips.

"Luke." Joel nodded. "You find what you were looking for?"

"No. I took off after Adam, but soon realized that I even if I did find him, I couldn't make him come home. I ended up just driving around and coming home." Luke hung his head before looking around. "Where's Lorelai?"

"Upstairs. Rory's with her in your room."

"Thanks Joel. I'll see you tomorrow." Luke said before waving and leaving the room.

**AN: Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing lately! I seriously appreciate what you have to say. I know this is a short chapter, but wanted to get it out to you. It's also drama packed, so I felt like the drama needed to be digested before continuing. As always, please review. I take what you all have to say very seriously and do consider your thoughts when writing. **


	40. Chapter 40

Abby and David were sitting on the couch in his Seattle apartment for the first time in weeks and were enjoying being together again. Abby was leaning against David as he held her tightly.

"So, your brother just took off like that?" David asked after Abby finished recounting what had happened with Adam.

"Yeah. It was horrible." Abby nodded. "But, I don't really want to talk about it anymore. How was your time with your Mom?" Abby asked.

"Pretty good. I'd like you to meet her sometime soon. Maybe she can come visit on an upcoming weekend before school gets too intense." David said.

"I'd like that. I want to meet the woman who raised such an amazing guy." She gushed.

David smirked at her before leaning over and kissing her.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask about your Dad? You haven't said anything."

David took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'm still sort of processing it all."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No, it's ok. It's probably a good idea to get it all out and talk about it. Maybe you can offer some perspective." David mused. "I talked about it with my Mom and she really encouraged me to meet him. She talked to him for a while, so I trusted her judgment that he wasn't a complete creep." He explained. "Turns out that he lives in Seattle, so I meet up with him a few days ago. I really wasn't expecting him to be the guy I met. His name is Ryan Matthews. He's an accountant at an accounting firm downtown. He's been married for twelve years to a woman named Allison and they have two sons; Toby is eight and Peter is six. I didn't expect that I would be meeting a regular successful family man. We met at a coffee shop and he showed up in a suit and tie. I never expected that. For some reason I thought he would be a total dead beat and be a bachelor. Ryan's a great guy from what I can tell."

"Wow." Abby said after he finished his story. "Did his wife know that he was meeting you?"

"Yeah, that's the even crazier part. He said he hadn't told her about having another kid until just last year. I guess the guilt of abandoning his pregnant girlfriend was eating him alive and he just couldn't live with himself anymore. Ryan said that she was really shocked, but was very forgiving of his past and she even encouraged him to try and find me. He was in the beginning of the process when they went to Portland for the weekend and ran into my Mom. I guess she talked to my Mom and they really liked each other. Ryan even offered to pay my Mom back child support, but Mom turned it down. He's offering to pay for my school expenses now, which would be a big help, but I'm still thinking about it."

"You want to get to know him before you start taking money from him."

"Exactly." David nodded. "He apologized for everything. He said he never meant to abandon me, but he got scared, being so young and all. He said there really wasn't any excuse for what he did, but he regrets it more than anything and wishes he could have gone back and changed things. Ryan actually broke down and cried when we were there talking about it. He's really torn up about it all." David said. "I am too, but I guess I came to terms with it a while back. I figured my father was just some scared teenager who wasn't ready to deal with a kid of his own. I understood it more a few years ago. I realized that I'd be really freaked out too if a girlfriend of mine was pregnant, so I cut him a bit more slack. Yes, he abandoned me in a way, but he didn't know me when he did it. He walked out on a pregnant girl, which is horrible, but I bet he would have felt differently after he met me."

"Probably." Abby agreed.

"I'm surprisingly not that upset about it. It's probably because I'm not done processing it all yet, but I like Ryan and I want to get to know him."

"Are you going to meet your Step Mom and little Brothers?"

"I already did." David nodded. "After Ryan and I had coffee, he invited me over to his house for dinner. I guess Allison really wanted to meet me and they had already told the boys about me. The whole experience was oddly nice. Allison was really nice and welcoming, not to mention a really great cook. They boys were shy at first, but warmed up to me and seemed excited to meet me. In a strange way I felt like I belonged there."

"That's good, right?"

"Yeah." David nodded. "I guess I'm still a little shocked at how well it all went. I feel like I'm waiting for the other foot to drop."

"Maybe it won't."

"I hope it doesn't. I like them. It's nice to sort of be part of a typical family."

Abby smiled before leaning over and kissing David. She hugged him and rested her head against his chest before saying, "I'm really happy that it went well. You deserve the best Davey and I'm really happy things turned out well with your Dad."

"Thanks Abbs."

"Abbs?"

"You're calling me Davey. Why can't I give you a nickname?"

"Abby is a nickname." She laughed. "Short for Abigail."

"I realize that." David smiled. "Maybe I should just start calling you Abigail."

"I guess it would work if we became a boring stiff British couple." Abby laughed before adding, in a British accent, "David and Abigail."

XXXXX

"So you talked to Adam again?" Joel asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter in his and Rory's house while drinking coffee.

"Yes, this morning." Rory nodded and drank another sip of her coffee. "He's been with Megan's family for a couple days now. He said it's going well. Megan's Dad and older brother are showing him how to work on the farm. He says it's rough, but he's enjoying the work so far."

"What? You're talking to Adam?" Abby said from her spot in the doorway. Nether Joel nor Rory had noticed her come in and Rory silently cursed herself before turning around.

"Yes. Adam called me." Rory stated.

"Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?"

Rory hesitated and bit her lip before Abby cut her off from answering.

"How could you?" She asked with hurt in her voice. "You're in contact with Adam and you're not telling anyone? Don't you think we deserve to be in contact too?"

"I asked him to stay in contact with me. He didn't really want to, but eventually agreed. I didn't want to completely scare him away by telling everyone just yet. Isn't it better that one person talk to him than no one?"

"Do you even realize what this is doing to Mom?" Abby asked with hurt in her voice. "Of course you don't. You did the same thing years ago, so how could I think that you'd get it. You don't understand how much shit you put Mom through-"

"Now hold on Abby." Joel interrupted. "Rory isn't trying to hurt your Mom and she never has. They've worked things out between the two of them, so you really need to respect that. I know you're hurt that Adam took off, but don't jump all over Rory for it."

"Then don't form a secret bond with him and hide it from us." Abby spat out. "I'm leaving." She said and stormed out of the house.

"Drah-ma" Rory said before Joel hugged her. "I'm not trying to do anything behind everyone's backs."

"I know you're not." Joel said and rubbed her shoulder.

"But I sort of am." Rory reasoned. "I'm not telling anyone that I'm talking to Adam. How much longer is this going to go on? Am I going to be the only one he calls for years? Abby's right; it would be horrible for me to be close to Adam and never say anything to the rest of the family. I'm not planning anything long term. I just didn't want Adam to run away and cut himself off like I did." Rory explained. "You know how many times I wanted to call Mom or write to her, but couldn't take the first step. Maybe it would have been easier if I'd been in contact with someone."

"Maybe" Joel agreed. "I think you're doing the right thing with Adam. Let him have his space, but keep the lines open in case he wants to talk or changes his mind."

"Yes, exactly." Rory nodded. "I just don't know how to get Abby to realize that."

"You probably won't right now. She's hurting and missing Adam. You can't just reason with her and make her understand."

XXXXX

It had been almost a week since Adam left and Lorelai was still struggling to get her mind around the situation. She was currently sitting at the counter at Luke's staring into her third cup of coffee. It was almost cold now, but she didn't care. Luke came out of the kitchen carrying plates of food, which were quickly delivered before he went to refill Lorelai's cup. He quickly jerked the coffee pot back as he started to fill her cup, noticing that it was still full from the last time he'd refilled it. He set the coffee pot back on the machine and looked at Lorelai. He reached across the counter and covered her hand with his, but not saying a word. Luke made eye contact with Lorelai and was about to say something when the bell above the door rang and Luke looked up to see who had entered.

"Hey!" Luke smiled and greeted Jenny and Sam as they entered the diner with baby Evie. They smiled and greeted him before finding a table.

"How's my little Granddaughter?" Lorelai asked as she moved from her seat at the counter to their table, thankful for the distraction.

"She's great." Jenny smiled. "Have you had breakfast? Do you mind holding Evie while we eat?"

"Do I mind?" Lorelai smiled and laughed. "Let me have that precious little baby." She said and carefully took the baby in her arms.

Luke smiled at the scene and brought Lorelai a new cup of coffee. She turned and thanked him with a knowing smile.

XXXXX

After Sam and Jenny had finished breakfast, they took little Evie home. Lorelai pulled Luke upstairs to the apartment.

"Lorelai, what's this about?" Luke grunted.

"What do you think this is about? Adam." Lorelai sighed and sank onto the couch. "How did this happen Luke? What did we do?"

"Nothing." Luke insisted. "Adam made a mistake."

"What did you say to him when he told you?"

"I told him he'd made a mistake and wasn't doing a good job of fixing it. He was turning a mistake into a mess." Luke answered calmly.

"Luke" Lorelai sighed.

"What? That's the situation."

"According to you. Adam did what he thought was right in the moment. Neither of us agree with it, but you can't just yell at him because it's not what you would have done." Lorelai pointed out.

"Sure I can. I'm his father."

"Don't you think that sounds a little controlling?"

"Again, I'm his father." Luke crossed his arms.

"He's an adult."

"So he should know better."

"True, but he made a mistake." Lorelai said. "We can't really be angry with him for something he didn't mean to do. Plus, he's trying to fix it. I don't think he's going about it the right way, but maybe it's time to let him make mistakes on his own."

"He's not ready to be on his own. Getting some girl pregnant proves that. We didn't raise him to act like that."

"Like what?"

"Like some irresponsible guy that screws around." Luke huffed. "At the very least he should have used a condom."

"What makes you think he didn't?"

"He got a girl pregnant."

"Luke, you and I both know that condoms aren't one hundred percent effective." Lorelai noted.

"Then he shouldn't have had sex with some girl he didn't know. If he wasn't ready for the consequences, he shouldn't have had sex."

"Seriously Luke? You're going to start talking sex ed now? Haven't we already gone over that with the kids?"

"Maybe we ought to do it again." Luke thought out loud. "The boys seem to be having trouble with the idea of condoms. First Patrick, then Sam, and now Adam. I guess I need to pull Will and Jonathan aside and have a talk with them."

"You're going to talk to Will and Jonathan about condoms? What about Abby?"

"That's your department."

"Luke, you can't be serious. We've talk to all the kids about birth control before. They know all about it."

"Then why the hell aren't they using it!"

Lorelai shrugged. "I don't think we're really ones to be talking like experts. Remember how Patrick came to be? What about Adam and Abby; our little surprise package? Yeah, I don't think we really mastered birth control enough to be yelling at our kids about it." She pointed out. "Oh, and if you're going to be talking to Will and Jonathan, you should make sure they know all the options, not just condoms."

"I guess."

"Luke, do you think this is really just about condoms? I mean, if it was really just about that, wouldn't buying them each a case of condoms solve the problem? Do you think it's about something else?" Lorelai wondered.

"Would else would it be about?"

"I don't know, but I keep wondering if maybe we did something wrong."

"We didn't do anything wrong." Luke insisted. "Adam's just got some growing up to do."

"I agree. He's not ready for the responsibility he's trying to take on." Lorelai nodded. "But how do we get him to come back here now? I've been trying to call his cell, but he won't answer. I don't know how much longer this is going to go on, but I can't keep myself from thinking the worst. Rory was gone for twenty-five years! I never thought I'd see her again. You know how horrible all that way. I really don't want to go through all that again. How long is Adam going to be gone? Is he also going to be gone twenty-five years? I'm not as young as I used to be and I don't know if I've got twenty-five years left. I couldn't bear to go on for years without Adam." Lorelai said as tears ran down her face.

Luke quickly stepped forward and wiped Lorelai's tears before hugging her. "Shhh" He said soothingly. "He'll come back. Just give it a little time and everyone will relax. Everything will be ok."

XXXXX

That night, Luke called a family meeting. Abby and Jonathan joined via skype while everyone else sat in the living room of Luke and Lorelai's house.

"I think we all know why we're here." Luke began. "I wanted to talk about everything that's been going on with Adam. Everyone knows what happened, but I wanted to talk about what we do now."

"What can we do?" Sam asked. "It's not like Adam's a little kid we can just drag home kicking and screaming."

"I was thinking we could go up to New Hampshire and try to talk to him. I did a little searching on the internet and found the place I think he's at." Luke said. "Maybe if we all go up there and talk to him, he'll listen."

"Or he'll think we're just there to attack him." Will pointed out. "Dad, you have to realize that Adam doesn't respond to the same things the rest of us guys do."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"You could always be more forceful with us." Jonathan spoke via the computer. "We're kind of 'rough and tumble', so to speak, and we all understood where you were going with a specific punishment. Adam always thought you were picking on him, even when you treated him exactly like us."

"I'm getting really sick of hearing that. I treated you all the same and didn't favor anyone." Luke insisted.

"We're not all the same, so you can't treat us like we are." Patrick clarified. "We're not saying you treated Adam worse than us, just that he responded differently."

"Then why do I feel like everyone's upset with me for how Adam feels. I can't control his feelings."

"You could be a bit more sensitive to them." Abby added through the computer.

"Ok, so I should hold his hand and ask him if he's ok every time I talk to him?" Luke scoffed.

"No, but maybe you should actually talk to him rather than just barking at him." Sam said.

"You mean I should ask him about his feels and treat him like Abby? He's not a girl."

"No, but it would be good for you to talk to him more." Sam said. "We all know that we're not a super emotional family, well, at least some of us aren't, but Adam actually likes to talk about his feelings. He's an intelligent guy and has a lot to say. He married Megan because he felt like he needed to take responsibility for his actions. If he wasn't such a great guy he wouldn't have cared so much. Adam's not trying to disrespect you or anything."

"He should have talked to me before making such a serious life altering decision. It's too rash!"

"Obviously." Patrick said. "Dad, you helped me out a lot when I found out about Jacob. You fully supported Sam and Jenny with Evie. Adam's situation is different and I'm sure he would go back and change things if he could, but now we all just have to move forward and help him as best as we can. The way I see this is that we can allow the situation to cause a rift in our family or we can all come together and do what's best for the most people."

"Geez, someone's mature sounding." Abby joked. "He's right though. I don't want to lose Adam because we don't agree with his choices. I respect Adam enough to disagree with his choices, but still love him."

"Me too." Sam agreed.

"Me three." Patrick smiled.

"Four!" Jonathan said before Will could add "Five".

"You kids are pretty awesome, you know." Lorelai added from her spot on the couch. "I love that you're all so supportive of your brother."

Luke crossed his arms and shook his head. He knew his kids were amazingly supportive and forgiving, but he wasn't ready to let go of his anger just yet.

"Dad, you with us?" Abby asked hopefully.

Luke just shook his head and walked out of the room as Abby looked crestfallen.

"He'll come around." Lorelai immediately assured them even though she had doubt in her own heart.

XXXXX

While the Danes family meeting was going on, Catherine went to Luke's. She was sitting at a table near the window, eating a piece of pie, when Jeremy entered the diner. They both looked at each other, trying to figure out what to do, until Jeremy walked over to Catherine's table.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Jeremy asked.

"Go ahead" Catherine said quietly as Jeremy sat down.

"How are you?" Jeremy asked.

"Pretty good." Catherine answered. "Tired, starting to get uncomfortable." She explained and rubbed her belly.

"So, everything is good with the baby?"

"Yeah, right on schedule, no problems."

"Good." Jeremy nodded. "I'll be right back." He said before getting up and going over to the counter to put his order in.

"Are you just now getting dinner?"

"Yeah, I had a long day at work. I'm trying to wrap up a job, so I've been putting in extra hours."

"So, you're back at work. How's that going?"

"It's good." Jeremy said. "I'm getting back on track Catherine."

"Good for you." She nodded before finishing off her pie.

"I really am." Jeremy insisted as Caesar brought out his dinner. "Thanks." Jeremy said before eating a bite of his burger. "I really don't know how to show you that I can be normal."

"Just do it." Catherine said. "Just be normal day after day after day."

"That's what I've been doing for the past month." Jeremy said. "I work lots of hours and sit around my Dad and Step Mom's house. That's pretty much it these days."

"You can do whatever you want Jeremy. Being normal doesn't have to mean a boring life for you."

"One step at a time Cate." He sighed. "It's boring now, but it's normal. Once I get the sober thing down I'll work on making some friends. Is there anything I should be doing to help out with the baby?"

"I don't know." Catherine shrugged. "I'd like to start putting a nursery together, but I don't really have a place of my own right now, so I can't do that. Plus, I'm not supposed to be doing a whole lot while I'm on bed rest."

"Oh, well, when the time comes to put together a nursery, just let me know. I don't know anything about decorating, but I can paint and assemble furniture." Jeremy offered.

"Thanks Jeremy. I'll let you know when the time comes. There really isn't a whole lot that needs to be done right now." Catherine said. "I'm just working on keeping the kid in here until D-Day." She joked and rubbed her stomach.

"Good." Jeremy smiled and finished his burger. "Do you want my fries? I'm trying to eat a little healthier so I should stay away from fries."

"I don't know that I want them, but the baby certainly does." She smirked and reached across the table to steal a few fries. Jeremy knew his fries were goners, so he slowly slid his plate across the table toward her.

"Well, I better get back home. I have to get up early tomorrow, so I should get to bed. Have a good night."

"Thanks. You too." Catherine said before Jeremy stood up, tossed a twenty dollar bill on the table and left.


	41. Chapter 41

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews! I'm not really sure about this chapter, so let me know what you think.**

_Previously…_

"_Thanks for your help Jeremy. You're really strong. I wouldn't have been able to hold that sign up all by myself." She said and batted her eyelashes at Jeremy._

"_You're welcome."_

_Will noticed the entire exchange from across the square as he walked toward the diner and got a little irritated that Jeremy was talking to Melissa. "I'll take it from here Jeremy. Thanks." Will nodded as he stood next to Melissa. _

"_Ok, Will." Jeremy nodded. "It was nice to meet you Melissa." He said before quickly walking away._

"_Don't talk to that guy." Will huffed before touching Melissa's arm to pull her back into the diner. _

"_Excuse me?" Melissa scoffed and crossed her arms.  
_

"_That guy is trouble." Will said._

"_So you think you can just order me around like I'm some kind of idiot? I can take care of myself Will. It's up to me to decide who I talk to and who I don't." She said very seriously._

"_Trust me, I'm doing you a favor."_

"_Well, don't. I don't need any favors." Melissa said and walked away from him._

_Luke came out of the diner and put his hands on his hips as Will turned around. "What was that all about?" Luke huffed._

"_She was flirting with Jeremy. I don't want her talking to him." Will informed him._

"_So, you can just order her around?" Luke scoffed._

"_You sound just like her."_

"_Son, you can't just bark out orders at women. It doesn't work that way. Not to mention that I didn't raise you to talk to women like that."_

"_Yeah, well, we're talking about Jeremy and Melissa. I don't think she should be around him."_

"_She doesn't know him." Luke reminded Will. "She has no idea the history between him and Catherine. Don't get your shorts in a bunch over some innocent flirting." Luke grunted before realizing something. "Unless…you have a crush on her? Do you like her Will?"_

_Will sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "Ok, fine. I like her."_

"_Well then ask her out!" Luke sighed. "What's holding you back?"_

"_She's my intern. That would not be good for the campaign."_

"_Then tell her how you feel and see if she'll wait until after the campaign is over. She'd only have to wait a couple weeks." Luke said. "Geez Will. Don't wait to ask her out if you like her. And don't order her around or tell her what to do; that's not how you get a girl to like you."_

"_Well what the hell do I do then?" Will said in frustration. "I keep asking her out to lunch and being nice to her. When's she going to get the message!"_

_Luke chuckled and shook his head at his son. He knew exactly how Will felt and for a minute he thought he was staring at a younger version of himself, trying to find a way to express his feelings to Lorelai. "Try asking her to dinner and buying her flowers. That should send a clear message."_

"_Seriously? That's it?"_

"_It's a lot more than that Will, but that's a good start." Luke nodded and slapped Will on the back before going back into the diner. _

XXXXX

Jeremy was just finishing some yard work at his Dad and Step Mom's house when Melissa came sauntering up to him.

"Hi there" She smiled and waved from the sidewalk.

"Hi Melissa" Jeremy nodded and walked to the fence to greet her.

"You look like you're working hard. Is this your house?"

"No, it's my Dad and Step Mom's. I've been staying here while saving up some money." Jeremy explained.

"That's nice. Hey, I bet you're hungry. Can I take you to lunch?" She asked hopefully.

"Thanks for the offer, but I've got lunch wait for me inside. Maybe another time." He said.

"Ok" Melissa said and tried to hide her disappointment. "I hang out at the diner a lot, so just stop buy sometime."

"Will do." Jeremy nodded before Melissa turned at left. He willed himself not to stare at her ass as she swayed her hips and walked away. He knew someone would see him staring and Will would be at his throat in minutes. In a way, Jeremy liked that an attractive young woman was flirting with him; it made him feel pretty good. However, he was still working on getting over his relationship with Catherine and couldn't disrespect her by dating Melissa. It wouldn't be right for him to move on so soon. He knew it wouldn't be a lasting relationship unless he got himself together. He also knew that he needed to get himself together if he ever wanted a relationship with his and Catherine's child.

Jeremy wasn't about to be a deadbeat father, so he swore that he'd do whatever it took to be involved in his child's life. Having a girlfriend so soon would not be the way to prove his intentions. Plus, he knew Will Danes liked Melissa and he really didn't want to get in the middle of that. If Melissa didn't want to date Will, they needed to work that out on their own, without Jeremy's involvement. Melissa seemed nice, but Jeremy thought it best to just keep things simple right now. Unfortunately, that meant that Jeremy had to find a way to get Melissa to stop flirting with him.

XXXXX

Catherine sighed and threw the magazine she was looking at on the other side of the bed. She was starting to get extremely restless and was sick of sitting in bed all the time. To top it all off, she couldn't get her mind off of Jeremy. Her Grandpa Luke had brought her breakfast in bed earlier and informed her of the interactions between Jeremy and Melissa. Catherine wasn't necessarily upset or angry, just a little confused. She knew Melissa had no idea who Jeremy was or the history between them, so she really had nothing against Melissa.

The thing that Catherine couldn't get out of her head was Jeremy's role in the whole thing. Luke had said Jeremy didn't seem too interested in Melissa, but Catherine wondered if that was true or not. If Jeremy had been purposely flirting with Melissa, why did he? Did he want to get revenge against Catherine or was he really just interested in someone else. If Jeremy was interested in dating someone else, was Catherine ok with it? If she wasn't ok with it, did that mean that she wasn't over Jeremy yet?

Catherine took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead. She felt like her and Jeremy's relationship was over and she was starting to feel ok about it. She knew it would take time to be completely adjusted to being divorced, but she was starting to move on. Catherine knew she wasn't ready to date anyone, and probably wouldn't be ready for a long time since she was going to have a baby soon. She had to focus on the baby to keep going at times, but she knew things were getting better each day she moved forward. However, if Jeremy had already moved on and was over their marriage, Catherine wondered what that meant for her. Would Jeremy get married again or have a girlfriend. How would Catherine deal with that once the baby arrived? It was a lot to think about with just Jeremy in the picture, let alone another woman.

As confused as Catherine was about the whole situation, she knew one thing; she was over Jeremy and she didn't want to be with him again. She certainly wasn't jealous of Melissa, but she did sort of feel like warning her that Jeremy was just getting his life back together. Part of Catherine was afraid that he was just going to jump into another relationship without really taking care of the issues he had struggled with before.

Jeremy had been doing really well and had even been keeping their weekly coffee dates without being reminded. At their last meeting, Jeremy had said he planned to set up a savings account for the baby as soon as it was born. Catherine hadn't told him it was a boy yet. For some reason, Catherine felt like she needed to give him limited information until she felt more comfortable with him. She would tell him before the baby was born, but just not yet. Jeremy was doing well and trying to demonstrate his responsibility, so the savings account was a nice gesture. He had already opened a separate savings account and put a thousand dollars in it, but Jeremy said he would put it in the baby's name after he was born, so Catherine had faith that Jeremy would follow through. After everything they'd been through, Catherine couldn't help but be cautious with Jeremy, but she was beginning to see how hard he was trying and she could really respect him for that.

"Ouch" Catherine said as she felt a strong kick from the baby. She rubbed her belly and said, "Play nice little guy."

XXXXX

The election for town Selectman approached and the Danes family went into full force 'Vote for Will!' mode. Abby and Jonathan were able to get away from school for a few days to help out and Rory, Joel, and Ben also journeyed back to Stars Hollow for the event. Lorelai organized a celebration in the town square like she and Sookie had done years ago when Jackson was running for Selectman. As everyone expected, Will won the election by a landslide.

Will gave his acceptance speech and shook many hands before loosening his tie and going in search of Melissa. She was standing behind the stage supervising the party and waiting for the next chance to jump in and help.

"Hey." Will said and smiled as he walked up to her.

"Hey! Congratulations Mr. Selectman!" Melissa said and hugged him.

"Thanks. This party is a little crazy. How about we grab a bottle of champagne and go somewhere a little bit quieter?"

"Sounds good to me."

Will quickly grabbed a bottle of champagne and led Melissa to the bridge so they could talk in a quieter place. Will knew Melissa wasn't going to be hanging around Stars Hollow much more now that the election was over, so he decided that this was his chance to get Melissa to go out with him.

"So, you'll have to explain your family to me." Melissa said as she refilled her and Will's champagne glasses as they sat on the bridge. "Who's that cute little boy you keep stealing and toting around for publicity?"

"oh, he's mine." Will said with a straight face before laughing as Melissa tried to figure out if he was serious or not. "His name is Jacob and he's my nephew."

"He's a pretty cute kid." Melissa nodded.

"Yeah, we all like him." Will smiled. "Jacob's Dad is my older brother, Patrick. I have six siblings actually; four brothers and two sisters. I have an older sister, Rory, who's way older than the rest of us. My Mom had her when she was really young. Rory was in college when my Mom and Dad got together. So, then my parents had Patrick, me, Sam, Jonathan, Adam, and Abby."

"Big family."

"Yeah, we're all a little nuts too." Will laughed.

"I bet it was fun having a cool older sister when you were growing up." Melissa said.

"Well, it's actually a bit more complicated than that. See, my Mom and Rory had some big fight before Patrick was born and they didn't talk for twenty-five years."

"Wow"

"Yeah. We always knew about her when we were growing up, but we didn't really talk much about the situation because it was so hard for my Mom. It's a lot better now though. Rory and Mom are really close and Rory and her husband and kids spend a lot of time with us. Rory and Joel live in Seattle. Joel manages a hotel and Rory is an English professor and a part time writer for the Seattle Times. She's sort of transitioning from being a journalist to being a professor as she's working on her PhD." Will explained.

"Rory sounds really smart."

"She's crazy smart." Will agreed. "Joel and Rory have two kids; Ben and Catherine. Ben's twenty-two and going to school in Seattle for a business degree. He was dating a girl here in Stars Hollow, Madelyn, but they recently broke up. I still don't really get what happened, but Ben's pretty upset about it. Madelyn owns Weston's Bakery here in town, so if things are awkward when you go in there, just ignore it."

"Good to know." Melissa nodded.

"Catherine is twenty. She's living with my parents, her grandparents, right now. She just went through a really bad relationship and divorce this past year. The divorce was just finalized, but she's pregnant, so she still sort of has to deal with her ex-husband. I'm not a big fan of the guy, but he seems to be getting his act together for the baby's sake. Catherine's doing much better now, but she's taking time off of Yale for the baby. She should go back next semester or next year at the latest."

"That's tough." Melissa agreed. "Sounds like she has a pretty good support system."

"Yeah" Will said before frowning and taking a deep breath. "Hey, look there is something that we really need to talk about if we're going to date."

"Ok" Melissa frowned at his abrupt seriousness. "Wait. We're going to date?"

"Yeah, I mean, if you want to." Will clarified before Melissa nodded for him to continue. "It's not bad or anything. I just thought I should explain more about why I was such a jerk to you when you were flirting with that Jeremy guy." Will explained. "Remember how I told you about Catherine and how she's recently divorced?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, Jeremy is Catherine's ex-husband."

"Oh." Melissa said as her eyes widened. "Oh. Wow. I can see why you got so upset and wanted me to stay away from him. Huh, wow."

"Yeah. Sorry, I should have told you that right away."

"No, that's fine. I'm sorry I flaunted myself around in front of him." Melissa said. "Gah, I feel like an idiot."

"You didn't know. It's ok. I'm just glad you're not with him." Will nodded. "I'm sorry that I was a complete ass to you and yelled at you."

"No worries." Melissa shrugged. "I know that you're not really that kind of guy." She smiled. "Can we go back to discussing your family now?"

"Sure."

"So, you have two nephews and a niece?"

"Yeah, and another niece." Will clarified. "My brother, Sam, and his wife, Jenny, just had a baby girl, Evie."

"Wait. This is getting confusing. Let me take some notes." Melissa said while taking a pen and slip of paper out of her purse and writing a few hasty notes on what Will had already explained. "Ok, continue please." She smiled.

"Are you sure you really want to hear all of this?"

"Yes. I want to know about your family. I don't want to look like an idiot when I talk to them and have no idea about their lives."

"Ok, but you have to tell me about your family when I'm done." Will insisted before Melissa nodded in agreement. "Patrick is the oldest of us Danes kids. He graduated from college with a business degree and is now running the hotel my Mom started. He formed 'The Danes Group' which is going to be the parent company of hotels he hopes to own in the future. I worked for him for a while, but running a bunch of hotels really wasn't my passion. I didn't mind the work, but it just wasn't for me. Surprisingly, I really like this whole politics thing. I have a business degree, but I took a few political science classes in college and really liked it. Anyway, Patrick really likes what he does. He found out he had a son when little Jacob was three months old. Patrick's former girlfriend showed up and literally dumped Jacob on Pat. It's a lot better now that Pat's had some time to adjust, but he was pretty scared at first. Patrick's actually engaged now; to a woman named Martha. Her Mom and my Mom have been best friends for years, so it's like a dream come true for them." Will joked.

"Yikes. Sounds like a lot of stuff happening really fast." Melissa said. "You said you have another niece? She's your younger brother's daughter?"

"Well, like I was saying, my next younger brother is Sam and he's married to Jenny. They got married right after she graduated high school. She goes to college at Yale and is studying finance. Sam works at Home Depot. In fact, he's next in line to get promoted to Assistant Manager. They just had a baby, Evelyn or Evie as we're all calling her."

Melissa took notes on what Will said before nodding for him to continue.

"Oh, just to give you ages really fast…Patrick's twenty five; I'm twenty-three; Sam's twenty-two; Jonathan's twenty-one; and Adam and Abby are nineteen." Will rattled off. "Jonathan is going to college at Princeton and is also getting a business degree. This is his last year and then Patrick wants him to come to work for 'The Danes Group'. I think Jonathan wants to do that, but he hasn't really said anything about what he wants to do after college, so we'll have to see how that turns out."

"Interesting. Is Jonathan dating anyone? Everyone else in the family seems to be attached to someone else."

"Not that anyone is aware of. He isn't really talkative when it comes to his personal life." Will shrugged.

"Interesting. I might have to get to know Jonathan and find out more about him." Melissa noted.

"Good luck." Will laughed. "So, my youngest sister is Abby. She's a little bit wild, but college seems to have grounded her a bit. She met a nice guy, David, and they seem pretty serious about each other. They're both studying English at the University of Washington in Seattle where Rory is a professor. They both want to be teachers eventually." Will explained before nodding. "And that's the scoop on the Danes family."

"Wait. I thought you had another brother? Adam?" Melissa frowned.

Will nodded and hesitated before explaining. "Yeah, uh, he's run into a little trouble recently. Adam and Abby are twins. Adam was really serious about his girlfriend, Chelsea, but she broke up with him a few months back. Adam went a little crazy because he was so upset about it and went a little too far. He got some Megan girl pregnant and when she told him, they eloped. Needless to say, my Dad was really pissed and Mom was in shock. Adam got into it with them and ran away with Megan to where her parents live. We haven't heard from him since. It's been almost a month with no contact."

"I'm sorry. That's really hard." Melissa said empathetically.

"Yeah, the worst part is that I can't really do anything. My parents are fighting about it and trying to figure out what to do."

"That sucks. I'm sorry." Melissa said.

"I'm sure it'll all get resolved soon, but in the meantime it does suck." Will nodded.

"Well, let's focus on the positive and celebrate your election victory." Melissa smiled before raising her champagne glass to Will. "Here's to a successful term as town Selectman!"

Will smiled and clinked glasses with her. "If I'm really successful, I'll accomplish a lot and change the role of the Selectman office. What I'd really like to do is eliminate the Selectman position and have a town council and Mayor. This town is growing and I think it would be better to have a council to keep the Mayor in check."

"I like that idea. Maybe I'll move to this town after I graduate school and vote for that idea."

"Hey, speaking of you moving…it's your turn to talk about family. Spill." Will insisted.

"My family's nothing like yours." She began to explain. "It's a little complicated, so ask questions if you need to. My Mom and Dad were never married. To be perfectly honest, my parents had an affair while my Dad was married to his first wife. I was a result and my Mom raised me while my Dad paid child support, but never visited. When I was five, my Mom married my Step-Dad. He's a great guy and I call him Dad. I really respect and love him, so we've had a really great relationship."

"Have you ever met your birth father?" Will wondered.

"Yes, I met up with him a couple years ago and have been meeting with him about once a year since them. He's a wealthy executive and doesn't have a lot of free time. I think he just feels bad that he was never around when I was growing up." Melissa shrugged. "I have that father daughter relationship with my Step-Dad, so it doesn't really bother me that much."

"We both come from unique families then." Will said.

"Yeah. Think we can have a normal relationship?" Melissa joked.

"What's normal?" Will laughed.


	42. Chapter 42

**AN: Once again, thank you all so much for your reviews! They keep me going when I feel down about this story and run out of ideas (yes that is a hint for you to dump ideas my way). **

After all the festivities of Will's election night celebration, Rory, Joel, Ben, and Abby went back to Seattle. As they settled back into their lives in Seattle, they began a new tradition of having dinner together every Thursday night. They all agreed that it was a weird night, but it was the only one they all had free.

"Rory, have you heard from Adam recently?" Abby blurted out as she, David, Ben, Joel, and Rory sat at the dinner table at Joel and Rory's house.

"Uh, about a week ago." Rory answered carefully.

"How is he?" Abby asked without looking up from her plate.

"He's good." Rory answered.

"Good." Abby nodded.

"Ok"

"I just…" Abby hesitated before looking directly at Rory and slumping her shoulders. "Next time you talk to him, just tell him I miss him."

"Absolutely." Rory nodded.

"And, I'm sorry I got mad at you about talking to him. It's good that you two are talking. Keeping the communications lines open."

"It's ok. It's a hard situation."

"Speaking of situations…" Joel interjected. "How was hanging out with your Dad and his family last night? Abby, you went too, right?"

"Yeah, it was really fun." Abby answered as David nodded in confirmation. "We had dinner and hung out for a couple hours. We played board games and talked. I really like them."

"Yeah, it was a good time." David added. "They're just really easy going people and really easy to get along with."

"Sounds like a best case scenario." Joel nodded.

"It really is." David agreed. "I was really hesitant to meet my Dad for the first time, but I'm glad I did. I sort of feel like as sucky as it was to grow up without a Dad, that this was the best time for him to come into my life. I'd made peace with him not being involved in my life, so I don't have a ton of anger or resentment for the guy. Sure, it's not ideal to grow up without a Dad, but I understand why he freaked out and wasn't involved. I know that he was incredibly guilty for leaving too, so it's not like he just forgot about me. Seeing him have a family now is a little awkward and seeing that he's a good Dad is a little hard, but I'm good with it. I hope we can just move forward and build a good relationship."

"You've really thought about it a lot." Rory observed. "That's really good. I can relate in a way. I'm sure I've told you this, but my Dad wasn't too involved in my life when I was growing up. Sometimes as a kid I wished that he'd either be super involved or just stay away. He came and went as he pleased until I was out of high school, so it was really hard to depend on him or build a strong relationship. I'm glad you're able to get to know your Dad now. You never know how much time you have, so it's really smart to live in the present and appreciate what you have now."

"Very true." David nodded.

XXXXX

Joel finished getting ready early in the morning and walked toward the kitchen to make coffee. Joel stopped as he walked into the living room and saw Ben lying down on the couch and about six beer bottles on the coffee table. Joel sighed and walked over to the couch before shaking his shoulder. "Ben" He said as Ben started to wake up.

"Dad?" He asked with a groggy voice.

"Ben, what are you doing?" Joel asked.

"Sleeping."

"I see that. Why are you drinking so much and sleeping on the couch?"

"Didn't know what else to do." Ben shrugged.

Joel sighed and motioned for Ben to sit up so he could sit on the couch. "Ben, are you drinking because you're still upset about Madelyn?" Joel asked, but Ben didn't reply. "Ben, drinking isn't going to solve anything. Adam drank a lot after his girlfriend broke up with him and now you're seeing how that's turned out. Drinking isn't going to take away the hurt you're feeling."

"I'm not out going crazy or screwing anyone." Ben said through a clenched jaw.

"It's not healthy to keep everything inside and use something, like alcohol, to try and numb the pain." Joel sighed. "Plus, aren't you still taking some medications? It's probably not healthy for you to drink while you're taking those."

"It's just beer, not hard alcohol."

"I know Ben." Joel sighed again. "I also know that you're old enough to drink and old enough for me to no longer be telling you what to do. You're an adult and you get to call the shots for your life. However, as your Dad, I really love you and I want you to have the best life you possibly can. I feel that if you keep drinking, you'll regret it later. Now, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I just want you to think about what you're doing and the person you want to become. That's all." Joel said before patting Ben on the shoulder and standing up. He left Ben in the living room while he went to make coffee in the kitchen. He ate a banana while he waited and poured himself a cup as soon as the coffee machine beeped.

"Hey Dad?" Ben said as he slowly entered the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Ben nodded.

"Coffee?" Joel asked, but grabbed a cup for him without wait for the answer.

"Do you really have to ask?" Ben joked before taking the coffee from his Dad and thanking him. "You know, you are much more eloquent than Mom before your morning coffee."

"I think most people are more alert than your Mom before morning coffee." Joel laughed. He set his coffee down and quickly took a pad of sticky notes and a sharpie out of a nearby drawer. He drew a heart on the sticky note and set it on the base of the coffee machine before putting the pad and pen away.

"You always leave those hearts for Mom. What's that all about?" Ben asked while looking at the note.

"Well, it started back when your Mom and I were dating. It took me a while to get comfortable with saying 'I love you'. Not because I didn't love her, but I wasn't real comfortable with expressing my feelings at that point in my life. So, I just started drawing a heart on notes I'd leave her. She eventually figured it out, but I've just sort of kept it up over the years. Just my lame little way of letting her know I love her." Joel shrugged. "It's pretty dorky actually, but what can I say? I was a dork when I met your Mom."

"I don't think you're a dork now. Did she change you?"

"Oh, man did she change me." Joel laughed. "Your Mom really got my act together. Well, she didn't make me change or anything. It was more like I thought she was pretty darn amazing and hot, so I did everything I could to make she we stayed together."

"Huh? What's going on?" Rory asked as she shuffled into the kitchen in her bathrobe. She squinted as she walked to the coffee pot. Joel quickly poured her a cup which she sipped several times before noticing the note. "Hey" Rory said before smiling at Joel. "I love you too." She smiled and kissed him.

Joel sighed and pulled her closely while kissing her passionately. "Ben, leave us alone, please." Joel asked after he pulled away from Rory.

"Don't do anything dirty in here. This is the kitchen; we eat in here." Ben groaned before taking his coffee and going to his bedroom.

"If he only knew." Joel growled as Rory blushed.

XXXXX

"Rory, I'm starting to get really worried about Ben." Joel admitted as they were getting ready for bed.

"I know." Rory agreed and continued applying moisturizer to her face.

"He's just moping around the house all depressed. He really doesn't do anything other than go to class and then come home. I know he's not super social, but he's not usually that closed off from the world. Do you think we should do something to help him?"

"What do you suggest?"

"I don't really know. He's heart broken, which isn't going to just go away, but I don't want him to get depressed." Joel said.

"I think he may be depressed already." Rory agreed. "He just doesn't seem to care about much."

"Maybe I'll take him to a football game this weekend and try to talk to him then."

"I'll get him to go for a run with me tomorrow morning. Maybe between that and you taking him to a game we'll be able to get through to him." Rory suggested.

"It's worth a shot. We just can't force him to do what we want. He has to figure his own life out."

"I completely agree." Rory nodded.

XXXX

Rory slowly opened the door to Ben's bedroom and walked over to his bed before gently rubbing his shoulder. "Ben, get up." She whispered.

"hhhmmm?" Ben groaned before rolling over.

"Get up. Let's go for a run." Rory said.

"Huh? It's early Mom." He said and scratched his stomach under his t-shirt.

"You said that you wanted to get back into shape, so let's go do it." Rory insisted.

"Why now?" Be groaned. "I'm sleeping."

"Come on Ben. Get out of bed, get dressed, and put your running shoes on. I'll wait in the living room." She said before smiling and starting to leave the room.

"Fine" Ben huffed and started to get out of bed. He did as he was instructed and changed into shorts and a gym shirt and running shoes. He looked in the mirror and frowned at how he looked. The last year had been very challenging for his health and his weight had never been a primary concern. Now, he frowned and patted his rounded belly before adjusting the waist band of his shorts that was now a little too tight to be comfortable. Ben shrugged and slowly walked into the living room where Rory was in the process of stretching.

"Ready to go?" She asked eagerly. "Do your stretches and then we'll go."

Ben nodded and dropped to the carpeted floor to stretch before running. A few minutes later, Ben and Rory were running through the neighborhood, with Rory leading the way as Ben tried to keep up.

"You ok?" Rory asked as she jogged in place at a cross walk.

Ben nodded and bent over with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

"Let's go slow for a minute. Don't stop too long or you'll get a cramp." Rory insisted. They slowly jogged along for a few minutes before Rory got up the nerve to talk about what was really on her mind. "Ben, are you ok?"

"Yeah, just a little out of shape." Ben said.

"No, not with running. I mean, I know you're sort of going through a rough time, but are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

"Ben, you aren't depressed or anything are you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You're moping around the house all the time, you don't do anything other than go to school. You're not even going out to coffee anymore." Rory said as they continued to jog.

"So?" Ben asked with a hint of anger in his voice. "I'm focusing on school. What's wrong with that?"

"I'm just a little worried that you're getting depressed."

"I'm not, so you don't have to worry about it." Ben insisted and started running faster.

"Hey, don't blow me off." Rory said as she ran after him. She quickly caught up, but decided not to say anything as they ran back toward the house.

Joel was in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal and drinking coffee when the returned. "Hey, how was the run?" He asked.

"Good." Ben nodded. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Ok." Joel nodded. "Is something up with him?" He asked Rory after Ben had gone.

"I asked him if everything was ok and he got a little defensive. I told him I was worried that he was getting depressed." Rory explained and sighed. "It didn't go over too well."

"Sorry." Joel said sympathetically. "You tried though."

"I know, but I feel powerless in this situation. It's something Ben has to deal with on his own, but I really want to just do something to make it all better."

"I know you do." Joel said before standing up and hugging Rory. "I'm worried too, but we can't push him too much. Ben knows that we love him and he'll talk to us when he's ready to."

"Asking if he was depressed was probably a mistake." Rory acknowledged. "I think I may have pushed too far too fast. I think we should just spend time with him and let him know that we love him."

"Good call. I won't say anything tomorrow at the game unless Ben brings it up." Joel nodded.

"I'm not really sure what to do in this situation, but I think that's for the best right now." Rory said and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to go change. Have a good day at work and I'll see you tonight."

XXXXX

The next day Ben and Joel sat in the stands of the football stadium watching the University of Washington Huskies play a football game. They were enjoying beers and fries at the third quarter wrapped up when Ben finally broke his silence.

"Hey Dad?" Ben asked hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know when you've found 'the one'?"

"That's pretty hard to answer." Joel sighed. "It's a little different for everyone. I knew your Mom was 'the one' when I realized that I thought about her all the time and always wanted to be with her. There was this one really rainy weekend when we were dating and your Mom said she was just going to stay home because it was so yucky outside. I didn't blame her, but ended up having a really crappy day because she cancelled our plans. I'd never felt that way when a girl cancelled on me before. I know it sounds really stupid and corny, but it just felt wrong to be away from your Mom." Joel shrugged. "Like I said, it's hard to explain."

Ben nodded and thought about what his Dad was saying before finishing off his beer. "So, you felt like something was missing when she wasn't around?"

"Yup."

"I felt like that with Madelyn."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, she didn't really feel the same." Ben sighed. "I'm having a hard time accepting that."

"That is hard, Son." Joel agreed.

"I've tried to move on, but I'm stuck." Ben said honestly. "One day she was in love with me and the next we're broken up for reasons I don't understand. I can't just turn off my emotions like that."

"That's because you're a great guy. You are really invested in relationships, which is a great quality about you. I'm sorry about what happened with Madelyn and I'm really sorry that I don't know how to make you feel better." Joel said as he finished his beer. "How about another beer?"

"I thought you told me not to numb my feelings with alcohol." Ben smiled.

"That's true." Joel nodded.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer though. Just one more and that's it."

"Ok, I'll be right back." Joel nodded and got up from his seat, taking the empty cups with him.

Ben sighed at sank back into his chair while trying to focus on the game. He felt like he was stuck in a quagmire, but maybe by taking small steps he'd be able to slowly pull himself out. He still couldn't figure out why Madelyn really broke up with him, but he was trying to accept it and work through his tangled mess of emotions.


	43. Chapter 43

XXXXX

"I brought you something" Jeremy said as Catherine opened the front door of Luke and Lorelai's house and saw him leaning against the door frame. He held out a paper bag and Catherine accepted before allowing him into the house. They walked into the kitchen and Jeremy sat on a barstool as Catherine opened the bag in front of him.

"ooohhhhh. Lemon Gelato and fresh Raspberries." Catherine said and quickly searched for a bowl.

"I know it's one of your favorites, so I thought you would like it." Jeremy explained.

"Thank you." Catherine said as she quickly scooped the Gelato into a bowl and dumped a handful of Raspberries on top. She took a bite and sighed appreciatively. "This is soooo good."

"You're welcome." Jeremy smiled.

"Oh! I have something for you too. Hold on a second." She said and left the room in search of something. She quickly returned and handed Jeremy a sonogram picture.

"What's this?" He asked completely unaware of what he was looking at.

"That's your Son." Catherine smiled and continued eating her dessert.

"Son?"

"Yes" Catherine nodded as Jeremy smiled and continued to look at the picture. "mmm. Here, feel this." She said and pulled Jeremy's hand to her belly to feel the baby kicking.

"Whoa"

"He's a strong kicker" Catherine said.

"Does that hurt?"

"Sometimes, but it's not too bad."

"Son, wow, a Son." Jeremy breathed as his eyes widened in realization.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I just never thought I'd have a Son. Wow. It's hitting me that I'm going to be a Father." Jeremy said and sat down on the barstool before taking a deep breath.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Uh huh." Jeremy said and swallowed hard. "I might be better if I had some lemon Gelato and Raspberries."

"I don't think that will help." Catherine said before serving herself seconds and putting the rest away.

"Jeremy" Luke frowned as he walked into the kitchen.

"Luke" Jeremy nodded.

"Jeremy brought me some dessert." Catherine said and showed Luke the bowl she was eating from.

"Good. I just came down for a glass of water."

"Well, I should probably go." Jeremy said and stood up. "Call me if you need anything Catie. By little guy." He said and touched Catherine's belly before walking toward the door. "Bye Luke"

"Bye Jeremy" Luke said and starred at Catherine. "What was he doing here?"

"Bringing me dessert."

"Do you think he should be doing that?"

"It's fine Grandpa. I know Jeremy is trying to get on my good side and suck up a little, but we're not getting back together."

"Ok, I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"I know. Thanks." Catherine smiled. "Hey, give me your hand."

Luke hesitantly complied, but smiled when he felt the baby kick. "Wow, he's strong."

"Yes, he is."

"Hey, hey, I wanna feel too!" Lorelai said as she entered the room and saw Luke smiling and touching Catherine's stomach. Lorelai stood with her hand pressed to Catherine's stomach and Luke's free arm wrapped around her waist as her eyes filled with tears.

"Everything ok?" Catherine asked.

"Yeah, just thinking about how amazing this is." Lorelai smiled softly. "I never really thought I'd get so lucky to be here with you, experiencing this miracle. I know that sounds like a really cheesy song, but it's true. Having our Granddaughter here, feeling our Great Grandchild kick, it's just so….wow." Lorelai sighed.

"It would be better if he'd take it easy for a while. I'm starting to get sore." Catherine snickered.

"Boy? It's a boy?" Lorelai smiled as Luke frowned at her.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Catherine asked.

"No. Luke, did you know?"

"Yeah, I've known for a while. Where have you been?"

"Out of the loop apparently." Lorelai sighed. "Another boy, huh?" She smiled as Catherine nodded.

"Lots of boys in this family." Luke agreed.

"As much as I'm loving this great family moment, my back is killing me. I need to sit on the couch for a minute." Catherine said before waddling into the living room with her Grandparents not too far behind.

"Only a couple more weeks." Lorelai smiled as she helped Catherine adjust a pillow behind her back.

"Yes. Mom and Dad are coming this weekend to check on me." She said and rolled her eyes.

"They love you and want to spend time with you." Lorelai corrected.

"I know. It just seems like they're always coming around to make sure I'm ok." Catherine sighed. "Hey, speaking of that, I've been meaning to ask both of you about what I'm going to do once the baby is born. Would either of you mind if I stayed until I found a job?"

"Stay as long as you like Catie." Luke quickly insisted. "Don't worry about getting a job right away. There's no pressure to move out. You just focus on taking care of that baby."

"Absolutely." Lorelai added. "Please stay here as long as you can."

"Thanks." Catherine smiled. "I'm so grateful for everything you've both done for me."

"We're happy to do it." Luke assured her.

"Can you do one more thing for me?"

"Anything." Luke insisted.

"Go back into the kitchen and bring me the bowl of ice cream I was eating." Catherine asked and smiled sweetly.

Luke sighed and nodded before returning. "You are your Grandmother's Granddaughter."

"Hey!" Lorelai scoffed playfully.

"I take that as a compliment." Catherine smiled before eating a bite of the ice cream.

XXXXX

Rory and Joel arrived in Stars Hollow late Friday night. Ben stayed home to focus on school, but Joel and Rory assumed that he just didn't want to be around a lot of people right now.

Rory was just waking up on Saturday morning when she felt a tug on the blanket that covered her and Joel. She moved away from Joel and rolled over to see little Jacob looking up at her as he held onto the edge of the bed.

"Hey little guy." Rory said and smiled at him. "What are you doing in here?"

"Ra" He said and pointed at her.

Rory sat up in bed before lifting Jacob up and placing him on her lap. "Ra? Is that my new name?" Rory asked him as he nodded. "Ok. Who's that?" She asked and pointed at Joel as he grumbled and rolled over to face them.

"Jo!" Jacob exclaimed at pointed at Joel.

"Huh?" Joel responded and blinked a few times.

"Look who came to visit us this morning." Rory smiled and kissed Jacob's forehead. "You're forehead is a little warm buddy. Are you sick?"

Jacob didn't say anything, but sneezed on Joel.

"Gross." Joel frowned and wiped his face. "That's not a good thing to wake up to."

"Sorry" Rory snickered. "It could have been a lot worse."

"That's true. I seem to remember a time when Ben threw up on me." Joel remembered. He reached over and rubbed Jacob's back. "Where did he come from anyway?"

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other…" Rory joked as Joel rolled his eyes. "I really don't know. I woke up and he was pulling on the blanket from my side of the bed. He must have got out of Patrick's room somehow."

"Ok, well I'm going to take a shower." Joel sighed and got out of bed.

"How about we go get some coffee and take your temperature?" Rory asked Jacob.

"Coffee" He said and smiled.

"Sure, you know that word, but you can't say Rory or Joel." Rory laughed before getting out of bed, throwing on her robe, and taking Jacob downstairs. As Rory was drinking her coffee and waiting for the thermometer to take Jacob's temperature, Martha entered the house.

"Hey Rory. Hey Jacob." She smiled and kissed Jacob's forehead.

"Ma!" Jacob exclaimed, causing the thermometer to fall out of his mouth, but Martha caught it before it hit the floor.

"He has a temperature." Martha frowned as she looked at the thermometer.

"Yes" Rory agreed and looked at Jacob. "Are you sick Jacob? Do you have a tummy ache?"

He frowned and shook his head before sneezing again.

"I think he's getting sick." Rory said. "He just sneezed on Joel a few minutes ago."

"Where is Daddy?" Martha asked Jacob.

"Sleep" He said.

"Jacob wandered into our bedroom this morning. I haven't seen Patrick yet." Rory explained. "Does Jacob climb out of his crib on his own?"

"No, he hasn't been doing that. Maybe we should go see what Patrick's up to." Martha said and picked Jacob up off of the counter before all three of them went upstairs in search of Patrick. Martha gently knocked on his bedroom door before slowly pushing it open. "Patrick?" She asked and noticed that he was lying on his side on the floor wearing work out pants and a t-shirt, surrounded by Jacob's toys. "Patrick?" She asked again as she knelt down and touched his shoulder.

"Huh?" Patrick mumbled as he woke up.

"Are you ok?" Rory asked.

"ugh" Patrick mumbled as he slow sat up. "I'm sick." He said. "I must have fallen asleep while I was playing with Jacob."

"He wandered into the guest bedroom a few minutes ago." Rory said. "Jacob's got a temperature, so you must both have the same bug."

"Bug?" Jacob asked and looked around.

"A bug" Patrick said and rubbed his stomach. "Yucky" He said and smiled as Jacob frowned and looked at his own stomach as if trying to figure out how an insect of some kind got in there.

"Why don't you go back to bed? I can watch Jacob today." Martha offered.

"Thanks. That would help a lot. I feel like crap." Patrick said and slowly stood up before quickly sitting back down on the bed.

Martha gave Jacob to Rory, who quickly took him downstairs. Martha helped Patrick into bed and pulled the blankets up to his chest before kissing his forehead. "Can I get you something? Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I'm ok. I had breakfast with Jacob about an hour ago."

"Ok, well, just yell if you want anything." She said before kissing his forehead again and leaving the room. As soon as Martha made it back into the kitchen, she noticed her Mom sitting at the table with Rory and Jacob. "Hi Mom. I didn't know you were coming over this morning."

"Hi sweetie. I hadn't planned on it, but I heard that Patrick was sick so I brought over some of my famous chicken noodle soup and a basket of muffins for everyone else."

"Wow, word travels fast around here." Martha nodded before joining them at the table. Sookie was slowly breaking off pieces of a muffin and feeding them to Jacob.

"Gam!" Jacob suddenly shouted as Lorelai entered the kitchen and waved at everyone before pouring herself a cup of coffee and joining them at the table.

"Morning everyone. Morning Jacob." She said before kissing his head. "He's warm."

"We know." Martha said. "Patrick is sick. I just tucked him in upstairs. I think Jacob is sick too, but he's acting normal."

"Danes men family trait." Lorelai informed them. "They don't get sick very often, but they're complete babies when they do. It usually comes on quickly and wipes them out for about three days. FYI, Patrick will be in a very unpleasant mood for the next couple days. Try to ignore it. He'll apologize when he's feeling normal again. If Jacob is the same way, I'd expect a complete meltdown sometime this afternoon."

"Good to know." Martha nodded as Sookie feed Jacob another bite of muffin.

"Is that good?" Lorelai asked Jacob as he nodded and smiled.

Jacob pointed to Sookie and said, "Soo!"

"Yes, that's Sookie." Lorelai agreed. "Grandma Sookie."

Jacob shook his head in disagreement and pointed to Lorelai. "Gam." He said trying to say that she was his Grandma, not Sookie.

"Yes, but Sookie is your other 'Gam'." Lorelai clarified. "Gam Soo."

Jacob shook his head and seemed to get frustrated with Lorelai as Rory laughed at the exchange.

"Wow, this conversation is seriously going downhill fast. Since when did we all start going by short one syllable names?"

"Since Jacob is a little baby and is still working on names." Lorelai said.

"He said 'coffee' earlier. I bet he can say our names."

"But that would mean he's growing up." Lorelai protested. "He' my special little guy and I don't want him to get too big too fast."

"But we are going to have to work on the Grandma Sookie thing." Martha said as Jacob pointed to Sookie. "Yes, Grandma Sookie." Martha told him.

"I like the sound of that." Sookie smiled and fed Jacob the last little bit of muffin.

"Keep feeding him and he'll really like you." Lorelai said.

"You're a lucky boy Jacob." Rory told him. "You have one Grandma who makes delicious food and one who loves to eat it. You've got the best of both worlds."

"Just don't pass on the coffee habits just yet." Martha smiled. "I want him to grow up big and strong before he starts in with that."

"You can always come to me when you need a coffee fix." Lorelai whispered to Jacob as he frowned at her and everyone laughed.

XXXXX

Rory and Joel were sitting in the living room of the Danes house looking at real estate listings online when Lorelai entered the room. They had been looking online to see what types of places were available before they actually started looking at places. Despite the uncertainty with what was going to happen with their jobs, they both knew that they were going to be spending a lot of time in Stars Hollow and having their own place would be nice. Plus, they wanted a place that Catherine could also live in after the baby was born.

"I found a place." Lorelai said in a sing song voice while grabbing Rory's arm and pulling her toward the door.

"Hey!" Rory protested as she and Joel walked behind Lorelai.

Lorelai stopped at the end of the driveway and turned toward the neighbor's house. She smiled and draped her arm over Rory's shoulder, pointing to the house, and saying "Here it is."

"Huh?" Joel asked as he looked at the house.

"I talked to Judy Mason this morning at the diner. She and Bill are moving to Chicago to the closer to their kids and are going to put the house up for sale soon. It's a great house; four bedrooms, five bathrooms, large kitchen and living room, an office, and a two car garage. It's perfect." Lorelai smiled.

"And it's right next door to you." Joel said as he and Rory looked at the house.

"Is that a bad thing?" Lorelai joked.

"Not at all." Joel corrected himself.

"It seems to have everything we're looking for." Rory reasoned. "Can we set up a time to look at it?"

"I'll call Judy and let her know you're interested. She may have time to have you over today." Lorelai said. "I'll leave you two to talk." She said and quickly left.

Joel looked at Rory and raised an eyebrow. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's nice looking on the outside. Looks well kept."

"Yeah, it does. Looks like it has a nice backyard too. If the same family has lived there for years, we may have to do a little updating inside, but I think we could manage. I like that it has four bedrooms."

"Yes, there's room for Catherine and the baby to have their own spaces. I really like that it's next to Mom and Luke. Catherine could live in the house and maybe feel more like she has her own place." Rory pointed out. "We still have a ton of money left from my inheritance, so whatever price the owners set should be well within our budget."

"Looks like we're one step closer to being full time residents of Stars Hollow." Joel smiled as Rory hugged him.


	44. Chapter 44

Catherine parked her car and looked at the coffee shop as she sighed. She and Jeremy were meeting for their weekly coffee date in Woodbridge. Neither of them felt like Stars Hollow was the right place for their conversations to take place, so they'd chosen a busy chain coffee shop where no one would know who they were.

Catherine quietly got out of her car and practically waddled into the coffee shop only to be shocked that Jeremy was already waiting at a table for her.

"Hey" He said and stood up to greet her.

"Hey Jeremy." Catherine said and sat down before he pushed in her chair and sat down across from her.

"I took the liberty of ordering you a Chai Latte. I can get you something else if you'd like."

"Thanks. Chai is great." Catherine smiled at sipped the beverage. She rubbed her belly before trying to start the conversation, "So, are you getting ready to be a Dad?"

"I guess." Jeremy shrugged. "I'm not really sure how to prepare."

"Good point. I'm not really sure what I'm doing either." Catherine admitted. "But, I will have help from my Mom and Grandma, so hopefully I'll figure it out pretty quick."

"I really hope I don't screw this up." Jeremy admitted.

"So do I." Catherine said. Jeremy frowned, obviously taking her words the wrong way. "No, that's not what I meant." Catherine corrected. "I didn't mean it like that, honestly. I meant that I didn't want to screw it up. I have no clue what I'm doing and I don't want to suck as a Mom."

"You're not going to suck as a Mom." Jeremy assured her. "You never suck at anything you do."

Catherine smiled softly and thanked him before drinking another sip of her Chai. "So, have you thought about how we're going to do this whole divorced parents thing? I'm afraid that we're not on the same page and we'll struggle to co-parent."

"I just figured that we'd do whatever you thought was best." He shrugged.

"I'm probably not going to do everything right Jeremy. That's the beauty of two parents; different perspectives and different approaches to things. Believe it or not, I do want your input and ideas. Look, I know we've had a lot of issues in the past, but I think at this point in our lives we really need to just focus on being good parents." Catherine said honestly.

Jeremy nodded in agreement, but sat in silence for a minute before answering. "Like I said, I have no idea how to be a Dad. However, I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to become a great Dad. I'll read whatever books or go to whatever classes. I'm in. I know I screwed up our marriage, but I'm not that guy anymore. You don't have to believe me, just please keep an open mind and watch me. Let me prove my intentions to you."

"Ok. So we can agree that our number one goal is to do our very best to be great parents?"

"Yes" Jeremy nodded.

"Glad we're on the same page." Catherine said. "Hey, remember when we talked about putting together a nursery?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, my parents bought a house in Stars Hollow."

"Really? They're moving here?" Jeremy asked.

"Not full time. They still have a lot going on in Seattle, but they'll be out here as much as possible. Anyway, it's a big house and they're letting me stay there full time after the baby is born. They're giving me two rooms; one for me and one for the baby. So, I was wondering if you'd still be willing to help with the nursery."

"Absolutely." Jeremy answered quickly. "I can paint, put together furniture, whatever you need. I could probably get a couple days off work too if that would help."

"Thanks. That would be a big help. I'll give you a call when I have more details. Sorry I can't at least give you a date right now."

"That's ok. Like I said before, I'm happy to help whenever. If I can't get the day off, I'll just come over after work. It's really no big deal Catie. I appreciate the opportunity." Jeremy said.

"You're welcome." Catherine nodded and rubbed her belly. "He's kicking again. You want to feel?"

"Yeah" Jeremy said and moved his chair closer to her side of the table and placed his hand on her stomach. Catherine moved his hand to where the baby was kicking as watched as Jeremy's face lit up when he felt it. "That's so incredible." Jeremy breathed as he felt his son move.

"It's pretty amazing." Catherine agreed.

XXXXX

Rory bit her lip nervously as she sat in a small coffee shop halfway between Stars Hollow and wherever it was that Adam was living in New Hampshire. She drank a sip of her coffee and hoped he would show up soon. Adam suggested that they meet up for coffee the last time they'd spoken on the phone. Rory was a bit hesitant, but she knew Adam was probably getting a bit homesick and needed to see family.

Rory looked out the window and saw an old pickup truck pull into the parking lot and stop quickly. Adam jumped out and slammed the door behind him before quickly walking to the coffee shop. Rory waved from her spot as he entered the door and he walked over to meet her.

"Hey Rory. Sorry I'm late." Adam said before hugging Rory and joining her at the table.

"No worries Adam. I got here early. It's really good to see you." She smiled. "I'll grab you a cup of coffee real quick." She said before quickly leaving the table, ordering a cup of coffee at the counter and returning with it before joining Adam at the table.

"Thanks." Adam nodded and drank a sip. "Not the greatest coffee." He said quietly as Rory nodded in agreement.

"So….How have you been?"

"Pretty good. Really busy working on Megan's family's farm."

"Are you enjoying the work?"

"It's ok. I don't know that I want to do it forever, but it's a living." Adam shrugged.

"How is your wife?"

"Megan's good. Everything with the baby is going well. It seems like the dust is starting to settle, so we're trying to think about what we're going to do once the baby is born."

"Are you considering coming home?" Rory asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"No" Adam quickly replied. "I just can't go back to Stars Hollow right now. Maybe in the future, but I really don't want to deal with Mom and Dad grilling me for my choices. I get that I screwed up, but I don't think I've completely messed up my life. I took a little detour, but it's going to be ok. I just have to keep working hard and things will be ok. I have a family sooner than I wanted, but it's going to be a good thing. I don't think Mom and Dad will ever see it that way."

Rory nodded and considered what Adam was saying. "You think if you come back to Stars Hollow that they'll try to tell you what to do?"

"Yes." Adam nodded. "I can just see myself doing a ton of work finding a job and moving Megan and I back only to have Mom and Dad jump all over us. I can see them wanting us to live with them so we can save money, which I get, but I'm done living with them. I want to have my own place for my family. I don't want Mom and Dad to keep controlling me and trying to make me follow their little plan. If it were up to them, we'd all live on the same street and everyone would work at The Dragonfly or Luke's. We'd all have dinner together every night and Mom and Dad would evaluate all of our decisions."

"Adam-"

"No, you didn't grow up in that house Rory. You don't know what it was like for me." Adam continued. "I never got to do what I wanted. Heck, I didn't want to play baseball in high school, but Dad insisted that I play because my older brothers had. It was never about me and my dreams, but always about what Dad wanted or what the boys had done before me. I just don't understand how I can make Mom and Dad see that I'm not like them and I want to live my life the way I see fit!"

"You're an adult Adam. You're entitled to your own opinion." Rory said calmly. "But I have to say that I think you're being a bit childish. I wasn't there when you were growing up, so you're right that I didn't see how you were treated. However, I doubt anyone intentionally tried to stomp out your dreams."

"Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I really haven't been treated as an equal to my brothers." Adam sighed. "At least, I don't feel that way. When Patrick found out about Jacob, Mom and Dad were right there helping him. Pat has always allowed them to control certain aspects of his life. Now that I have a kid on the way they're upset because I want to do it on my terms. Where is the support for me?"

"I can't really give you an answer Adam. I'm sorry." Rory said.

"I don't think I can go back to Stars Hollow until I get some more respect. I'm not trying to be an arrogant little prick, but I think I should be allowed to make my own choices."

"I agree." Rory nodded. "You made choices that were hard and I respect you for it. It's hard to decide what to do when you feel like everything is collapsing around you. I don't really agree with everything you did, but I can respect the fact that you're taking responsibility for your actions and stepping up now. You're not some deadbeat guy who knocks a girl up and then walks away forever. You're demonstrating that you want to be there for your child, regardless of the circumstances of how he or she came to be. I can respect you for that."

"Thank you." Adam said. "I'm grateful for your support. It's nice to know that at least one person cares enough to look passed some of my mistakes and see me for who I am."

"Adam, I know you don't think anything will ever change, but I really do think that Mom and Luke will come around eventually. It's just going to take a little time."

"I hope you're right. As angry as I am with them, I do miss everyone."

"Speaking of which…Abby asked me to say 'hello' for her."

"Tell her I said 'Hi' back." Adam nodded. "It's really strange to not have her around every day."

"Everyone else misses you too." Rory added.

"I miss just about everyone else too."

"Is there someone you don't miss?" Rory wondered and frowned.

Adam sighed and sat back in his chair before crossing his arms over his chest. "I know it's hard to understand, but Dad and I have some serious issues. It's been going on for a while and we don't really discuss it. I guess for Dad and I, it's always been an inability to communicate and talk to each other. Over the years I've come to realize that maybe he just doesn't know how to connect with me or communicate. I don't really know how to explain it, but it's like there is some emotional disconnect. I don't know how to change that and I don't know how or when it happened."

Rory swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded as Adam finished. She had no idea what to say or how to fix the situation. She laid her hands on the table and took a deep breath before saying anything. "Adam, I don't know how to make things right between you and your Dad. I do know he loves you. Mom loves you. I love you. We all love you Adam. We miss you. You don't have to come back to Stars Hollow on a permanent basis, but it would be really great if you could stop by and see everyone."

"Thanks Rory, but I'm really not ready for that. I appreciate your support and I'd like to stay in touch with you, but that's all I can do right now." Adam said. "In fact, I've got to get back to the farm, so I should probably get going."

"Oh, ok." Rory nodded and stood up as he did. She quickly hugged Adam tightly before stepping back and smiling at him. "I love you little brother. Take care of yourself."

"I will. Love you too." He nodded before turning and leaving the coffee shop. Rory watched him leave before collecting her coat and purse and leaving.

As Rory drove back to Stars Hollow she felt a mix of emotions. She was happy to have seen Adam and talk with him, but she felt incredibly sad for him at the same time. She also felt a bit stupid for not picking up on the tension between Adam and Luke earlier. She also wondered what Lorelai thought about it all, or if she had even known it was this bad before Luke and Adam had that blow up fight. The more Rory thought about the situation, the more depressed and helpless she felt. The only thing she could think to do was to continue to talk to Adam and to talk to her Mom and Luke about it.

XXXXX

"When are you going to get it through your thick skull that Adam never come back!" Lorelai shouted at Luke. "I love you Luke, but sometimes you're so stupid. I don't care what Adam did or didn't do; I want him back in my life! Do you understand what this is doing to my heart? I feel like it's being ripped into pieces and I don't know how to put it back together."

"I'm not keeping him from you Lorelai." Luke said calmly. "I'm starting to get sick of everyone blaming me for this."

"If you hadn't yelled at him after he told you about his situation, maybe he'd still be here."

"Maybe, but maybe not." Luke said.

"I don't like not being close to my children; both physically and emotionally. You know how much it hurt me to be away from Rory all those years. I can't repeat that." Lorelai explained. "I'm freaking out Luke. I'm losing control and I hate it. I just hate it." Lorelai said before tears ran down her cheeks. "Why am I so obsessed with controlling our children? I find myself wishing they'd do things a certain way or planning what their next move in life is going to be. I've thought about where they're all going to live in Stars Hollow. I never imagine them living elsewhere. I know I keep begging all our kids for Grandchildren, but in my mind we get all those Grandchildren. It's like I'm not even given them a choice in their own lives. It's like…oh God…it's like I'm becoming Emily Gilmore. Am I stifling them? Is that why Adam left? Did he feel stifled?"

"Lorelai-"

"What am I going to do just run up to New Hampshire and bring him back home?" Lorelai continued before Luke could respond. "Just grab him by the hand like a five year old and say 'Don't do that Adam. That's not what Mommy wants you to do.'?"

"What's going on? I could hear yelling when I walked in the house." Rory said as she entered Luke and Lorelai's bedroom.

"We're having a discussion." Luke explained while looking annoyed that Rory had interrupted them.

"We're arguing about Adam." Lorelai clarified. 

"Oh, well…sorry I interrupted. I'll leave you."

"No, stay." Lorelai stopped her. "What do you think we should do about Adam?"

"It's not really my place." Rory said cautiously.

"I'd like to know what you think."

"Well, I don't really know what to say. I mean, I can't speak for Adam, but it sounds like he's just really upset. He's running because he's scared, not because he's really angry or upset. He doesn't want you to yell at him and tell him what to do. Let him figure it out on his own. He needs to do it on his own, even if it's wrong at first, Adam needs to learn by trial and error. He needs you to respect him." Rory said. "He loves you both, but just can't deal with you trying to control him."

"You sound like you've talked to him about it." Lorelai said before cocking her head to the side. "You aren't talking to him, are you?"

Rory couldn't believe she'd let that slip out. She hadn't actually planned on telling her Mom or Luke that she was talking to Adam for the fear that they would pounce on her and try to get in contact with Adam for the wrong reasons. She certainly didn't want them to know that she'd just come from having coffee with him.

"Are you?" Lorelai asked point blank with her hands on her hips.

"Rory?" Luke warned.

"We've talked on the phone a couple times." Rory admitted, omitting the meeting she'd just had.

"Were you going to tell us?" Lorelai asked.

"Mom, it's not like we're forming some secret club against you." Rory tried to explain. "I just asked Adam to stay in contact with me when he left so he could work things out. I didn't want him to be afraid to reach out when he was ready. I spent so many years wanting to get in contact with you, but being afraid to take the first step. I thought if Adam talked to me once in a while that he would let me know when he was ready to either come home or call you guys. I was trying to keep the lines open."

"By taking over the situation?" Lorelai scoffed. "You thought you'd just take over and be the parent in all this, didn't you. Well, Adam isn't your kid Rory. He's mine and Luke's and we get to deal with all of this. I'd personally appreciate it if you'd just stay out of all of this."

"And just let Adam go off the face of the earth?" Rory said in shock. She hadn't expected her Mom to be upset at her actions. "You two are so darn controlling, you know." Rory spat out before she could think about what she was saying. "You don't even care about what your kids want for themselves, it's all about you. Adam didn't follow the plan that you put together, so you freaked out. No wonder he left; it was the only way he could get out of your controlling grip."

"Now hold on a second, Rory." Luke interjected. "You have no right to talk to us like that. You weren't here when the kids were growing up, so you don't know anything about what your Mom and I have done for these kids. We're not controlling them we're just trying to keep them from screwing up their lives!"

"But you're doing it in such a way that it's stifling." Rory insisted. "Kids screw up sometimes. You can't yell at them and make them think the way they tried to fix the problem was wrong. Even if it was, you just have to be there and love them and tell them you support them. When bad things happen, that's when they need you to love and comfort them the most."

"I don't really appreciate you lecturing me on the subject." Luke said. "You put your Mother through hell when you left."

"Which is why I'm saying this." Rory sighed. "I know it's hard to hear, but I left because I didn't think I could go home. Mom didn't support my decisions, so I couldn't talk to her about them after I had already made them. It was like she drew a line in the sand and said, 'don't cross this line until you do things my way'."

Lorelai frowned and sat down on the bed. "You think Adam feels the same?"

"Yeah. I think he sort of knows that he made the wrong choice in rushing into a marriage, but he can't change what he did. Now he needs to know that you both still love him and you'll be supportive of him even though you didn't agree with him."

"It's not that simple." Luke sighed.

"Yes it is Luke. It's only as complicated as you make it. If you want to control the situation, it's going to be really complicated. If you choose to love Adam then it's simple." Rory explained.

"So, you're saying you'd do that if Ben got a girl pregnant and then eloped with her?" Luke wondered.

"It would be really hard, but yeah, Joel and I would keep our mouths shut and just keep telling him that we love him." Rory said. "I would be really pissed off, but I would do my best to not blow up in front of Ben."

"So, now I'm the bad guy because I yelled at Adam?" Luke asked.

"It sounded like an 'in the moment' reaction to the news. You reacted the way you did and you can't change that now." Rory explained without really answering Luke's question. "You can change how you react in the future and how you treat your kids. They're all adults now, so you need to start respecting them as such. I know it's really hard to see them as adults, but you have to. That's been really hard for Joel and I to learn. There were so many times when we both wanted to kidnap Catherine and keep her away from Jeremy, but we had to let her do it on her own. Fortunately, she got away from Jeremy on her own, but we would have stepped in if it got much worse, despite our trying to stay out of it. Being a parent is tough and we're still learning when to step in and when to stay out. It's hard when you want to shield your babies from the harsh realities of the world."

"Very insightful. Thanks Dr. Rory." Lorelai smiled. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I appreciate you trying to help. You've given Luke and I a lot to think about."

"Thanks Rory." Luke nodded.

"You're both welcome. I'm not trying to usurp your roles as parents, I'm just trying to offer a little of my insight." Rory shrugged before hugging each of them and leaving the room. Rory cringed as she walked down the hall at how awkwardly they had ended that conversation. She thought that maybe they just weren't ready to hear what she was saying or needed time for it to sink in. As Rory continued to walk, she wondered when Adam would return and this whole thing would be over. She hoped it would be sooner rather than later, but her gut told her it was going to take a considerable amount of time.


	45. Chapter 45

Rory slowly approached the garage and paused before entering. She heard a loud bang and a tool clatter to the floor before Luke cursed. She slowly opened the door and knocked to alert Luke to her presence.

"Hey Luke. What are you working on?"

"Hey Rory." He said without looking up from his workbench. "I was just finishing changing the oil on your Mom's car. I was just getting this air filter out and putting a new one in. My arthritis is acting up a bit though; makes it hard to finish up."

"Oh, I didn't realize you had arthritis. Can I help with anything?" Rory asked.

Luke smirked at her offer to help with the car. "Thanks, but I'll be able to get it. Just need to take a short break. The thought of you working on a car is kind of amusing though."

"Yeah, not really my expertise." Rory agreed. She shifted her feet nervously and crossed her arms before explaining why she came to the garage. "Luke, I just want to apologize if I overstepped my boundaries earlier when I was talking to you and Mom."

"I know you care about Adam, but you need to let us handle it. You're not the parent here." Luke said calmly. "I think I'm allowed to make decisions regarding my Son."

"I think so too, but I think at this point you're so deep into it that you can't step back and see the whole picture."

"I can see a kid who got scared and ran the first direction he saw. He didn't stop to think about all the options; he just took off and married that girl." Luke said in frustration.

"Didn't you do something similar when you found out Mom was pregnant with Patrick?"

"That was different."

"How?" Rory asked, trying to get Luke to understand why Adam reacted the way he did. She knew it was a long shot, but if Luke could see the similarities in himself and Adam, then maybe he'd change his attitude.

"We were much older and mature." Luke insisted. "We were in our thirties, not just out of high school! We were both settled in our careers and financially stable."

"But you still did the honorable thing and wanted to get married right away. You did what a responsible guy does when he, for lack of a better term, 'knocks a girl up'." Rory pointed out. "You didn't just sit around and trying to weigh all of your options, did you?"

"No." Luke answered without hesitation. "I wanted to take care of Lorelai and Patrick. I wasn't going to just leave them. I knew what I had to do."

"Adam's the same way Luke."

"Lorelai and I were…are…in love though. It wasn't like I just got drunk and slept with some random woman. Lorelai and I were in a committed relationship and would have gotten married eventually anyway. Patrick's appearance on the scene just sped it up a little." Luke shrugged.

"Good point." Rory agreed. "But Luke, you've got to put yourself into Adam's shoes before you jump all over him. Think about it for a second. You were his age at one point. You can't tell me you were a monk before you met Mom."

"Well, no, not exactly." Luke agreed. "But I was always responsible." He emphasized.

"Ok, but what if something still happened? You dated Rachel in high school and could have easily ended up in Adam's situation yourself back then. Think about it; what would you have done if Rachel had gotten pregnant when you were nineteen or twenty? Would you have sat around and weighed your options? I seriously doubt that you, Luke Danes aka 'Mr. Responsibility', would have hesitated before marrying Rachel. You would have done what you thought was the right thing and stuck by your family. After all, isn't that what your Dad taught you to do?" Rory asked, knowing she'd at least struck a small cord within him. "Don't you see Luke? Adam is like you. He learned from you, his Dad, about responsibility and how important family is. It's a Danes men family trait." She smiled. "Adam wasn't trying to hurt anyone by marrying Megan. It's just the opposite. He found out she was pregnant and decided that he needed to take responsibility for his actions, so he married her."

"Ok, but then why did he run away?" Luke frowned.

"Probably because he realized what he'd done and suddenly got really scared. He's young and doesn't have the perspective you do to see how getting married so young and so fast could turn out badly. He just thinks that he's doing the responsible thing. He doesn't get how hard marriage can be sometimes. I think he's also a little embarrassed. It also seems like he really wants to prove that he's a man and he doesn't feel like he can do that if everyone is telling him what to do. Luke, he just needs to figure this out on his own."

"He's not ready, Rory. He's still a child and is going to get hurt. He doesn't know what he's doing."

"But part of letting him go and grow into a man is letting him venture out on his own, right? Luke, you can't hold on so tight or you just might stifle the light in him. Kids make mistakes and fall down, but they'll never learn how to walk on their own if you're always there to keep their butt from hitting the ground. Remember when they were learning how to walk? You had to let them fall a couple times while they were learning just so they'd see that it wasn't so bad and keep trying." Rory sighed and shook her head. "I know Adam had a big fall and has made life altering choices that you don't agree with. That's fine. No one said you have to agree with how he acted or handled the situation. I do think that this is one of those tough times where you just have to let him do it on his own and painfully watch from the sidelines. He'll come to you when he needs help, but you have to just stand there and wait for him to come up to you. I know it's hard, but you have to let Adam be a man this time. He has to figure this one out on his own."

Luke nodded a few times as he took in Rory's words. He didn't really know what to say as his mind raced around Rory's heartfelt words. He simply stood up and wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "Thanks" before Rory nodded and left the garage.

XXXXX

Luke smiled at Jacob as the little boy played happily with a truck in the dirt. Luke was sitting on the bottom step of the deck stairs that led into the backyard. He had volunteered to watch Jacob for the afternoon while Patrick and Martha worked and Rory and Lorelai went furniture shopping.

Jacob loved playing in the backyard, but was now practically covered in dirt. Luke smiled at how much Jacob was like Patrick at that age. Luke was nervous about how Patrick would react to having a kid, but was pleasantly surprised by how quickly he'd adapted. Luke had adapted too. He'd thought it would be nice to be a Grandfather at some point, but never really pictured it. Now, he couldn't image Jacob not being around, lighting up everyone's life.

That thought hit Luke like a ton of bricks. If he continued down his current path, he'd never have this moment with Adam's child. Adam's child would never play in Luke's backyard, or laugh when he tossed him or her in the air, or fall asleep on his chest while he watched TV. He'd never know if Adam's child would look just like Adam the way that Jacob was practically a mirror image of Patrick. Luke would never know anything about the child, not even if it was a boy or a girl.

Luke thought back to what Rory had said earlier in the garage and he knew she was right. If Luke were face with Adam's situation when Luke was his age, he'd probably have done the same thing. Maybe not the whole running away part, but he'd have married the girl. He also knew that his own Dad would have gone ballistic, just like he had. Rory was right. _Damn, why is she always right! _Luke thought to himself and shook his head. Luke didn't want to cause a rift in the family and certainly didn't want Lorelai to have to endure losing another child over a preventable argument. He'd have to find a way to disagree with Adam, but still love him and support his decision.

Luke was jolted out of his thoughts as Jacob placed a small fistful of dirt on Luke's knee. Jacob looked like he was trying to cheer his Grandfather up after seeing the concern on his face. Luke smiled at the little boy's thoughtfulness before picking him up kissing his cheek, causing Jacob to giggle. Luke loved that giggle.

"You're completely covered in dirt." He said to Jacob. "We should probably get you into the bathtub before your Mommy and Grandma get home or I'll be in big trouble. I think we have some toys up there, so you can carry one with the playing." Luke finished before walking into the kitchen with his Grandson in his arms. "You know Jacob, you're pretty special." He admitted. "I love you a lot, little guy. I probably don't say it as much as I should, but I want you to know. Ok?" He said before kissing Jacob again and taking him upstairs to get a bath.

XXXXX

Luke and Lorelai were quietly eating breakfast in their kitchen when Catherine waddled into the room with a hand on her lower back.

"Morning" Lorelai said.

"Yeah? What's so good about it?" Catherine grunted, alerting her Grandparents to her bad mood. "I'm so freaking uncomfortable right now. I only slept a couple of hours. This kid better show up before my due date or he's in for a serious lecture."

Luke was about to say something when Lorelai quickly grabbed his wrist and shook her head, warning him not to say a word right now.

Catherine poured herself a cup of coffee and then suddenly looked at her Grandparents with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so rude. I'm just tired and hormonal."

Luke opened his mouth again, but Lorelai squeezed his wrist and smiled at Catherine. "It's fine sweetie. Why don't you go watch TV and I'll get you something for breakfast?"

"Ok, thanks." Catherine smiled and wiped her eyes before leaving the room.

"What was that?" Luke whispered and looked at his wife with wide eyes.

"Pregnancy hormones." Lorelai reminded him. "It's probably best if you just don't say anything unless you have to."

"No kidding." Luke nodded. "Should I make her some pancakes or something?"

"Yes. Chocolate chip." Lorelai smiled as Luke got up quickly and looked like he was in a race against time to cook.

In what seemed like record time, Luke cooked and then delivered a plate of chocolate chip pancakes to Catherine as she watched the morning talk shows on TV.

"Thank you." Catherine said with tears in her eyes. Luke just nodded and gave her a small smile before returning to Lorelai's side.

"Are you afraid of her?" Lorelai whispered in his ear while holding his hand.

"Kind of." Luke admitted. "Pregnancy hormones are scary. You never know what's going to happen. I'm just happy to escape unscathed."

Lorelai smirked before patting his hand. "It's probably best for you to just stay quiet around her for a while."

As Luke and Lorelai were finishing breakfast, Joel and Rory walked in with big smiles on their faces.

"What? Did you two just do something dirty?" Lorelai asked and Rory rolled her eyes.

"Mom, seriously." Rory groaned.

"We have some good news." Joel smiled before wrapping his arm around Rory's waist. "We just signed papers on the house next door!"

"Congratulations." Luke said and shook Joel's hand.

"Yay!" Lorelai exclaimed and hugged Rory. "You two are now officially residents of Stars Hollow!"

"Part time residents." Joel corrected her as she gave him a quick hug.

"Where's Catherine? I want to take her next door and let her pick out a room for herself and the baby." Rory asked.

"In the living room watching TV. Watch out though, she's really hormonal this morning." Lorelai whispered.

"Luke, you want to come to the hardware store with me and get a few supplies? There are a few minor repairs I need to do over at the new place and I'd rather get it done sooner than later." Joel quickly asked at the mention of pregnancy hormones.

"Absolutely." Luke quickly agreed and followed Joel out of the house.

"She's that bad that Luke's afraid?" Rory asked with a frown.

"Not really, but I think he remembers back to the days of my crazy hormones and doesn't want to have anything thrown at his head again."

"You threw something at his head?" Rory frowned.

"It's a long story." Lorelai said and waved off an explanation as they walked into the living room.

"Hi sweetie." Rory said and hugged Catherine. "Guess what? Dad and I got the house!"

"Yay!" Catherine exclaimed before slowly getting up off the couch and hugging her Mom. "Can we go see it?"

"We were just coming to get you for that very purpose. Come on, let's go see your new place." Rory smiled before ushering everyone outside and next door.

A few minutes later the three women stood in what they had decided would be the nursery for the newest addition to the family.

"This is a great room." Catherine nodded. "I really like that the bathroom is between this room and my room. That way I'll be close to the baby, but we'll each have our own space."

"It's a great layout. What colors are you thinking of for the space?"

"I'm not sure. When I found out I was having a boy, I thought I'd do blue, but I feel like that's so overdone." Catherine explained. "I was thinking of finding a nice light green and doing a jungle theme. It could be really cute."

"I love that idea." Lorelai said as Rory nodded in agreement.

"Have you settled on a name for the little king of this jungle kingdom?" Rory asked.

"Sort of. I have a couple top choices, but nothing final. I think I'll know what name fits better when I see him."

"You've been very secretive with names. Care to share with us?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

"Ok, but don't spread it around too much. I want people to be surprised." Catherine insisted as Lorelai and Rory nodded. "First off, no matter what first name I choose his middle name is going to be Benjamin."

"That's really sweet." Rory smiled. "Ben will love that."

"I want the baby to share a name with a positive male role model. Hopefully they'll have a strong bond." Catherine explained. "Anyways, the baby's last name is going to be Forrester. I know you both may not agree with that decision, but I feel like it's the right thing to do."

"Ok" Rory nodded. "I can see that. It's really between you and Jeremy. I'll support whatever you decide."

"Thanks Mom. I appreciate that."

"So, what about first names?" Lorelai asked. "Oh wait, you don't want to tell me because you're going to name him Lorelai, right?"

"Yes, Grandma. I'm going to name my SON Lorelai. He wouldn't get teased in school or anything." Catherine joked. 

"Someone has to carry on the family name." Lorelai snickered.

"Grandma" Catherine sighed. "Seriously though…I do have a couple first names picked out. I really like the name 'Nathan', but I'm also thinking of using 'Alexander'. I want to name him after a family member, but it's hard to pick one man to name him after when we have a bunch of awesome men in the family."

"I like both of those." Rory smiled. "Your Dad would love if you named him either, but I think Nathan would be really special for him since it's his middle name."

"That's kind of what I was thinking." Catherine agreed. "Plus, Nathan Benjamin Forrester sounds really nice."

"It does." Lorelai agreed. "What about Benjamin for a first name?"

"I thought about that, but it could be really confusing with another Benjamin in the family."

"You could name him Benjamin Alexander Forrester and call him Alex for short." Rory added.

"Ben A. Forrester? Don't you think kids would tease him for that? Hey kid, you been a Forrester for a while?" She said in her best teenage boy voice.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be so good." Rory agreed.

"I thought about other names too like Ethan, James, Brady, Michael, and Gabriel, but none of them seemed to fit as well."

"It's your call, but I really like Nathan." Rory admitted.

"Me too." Lorelai added. "It's a nice family name."

"That's what I'm thinking, but we'll see what fits him best when he's born." Catherine said.

XXXXX

**AN: Sorry if this chapter was a little short, but it was heavy on the emotional side, so I think we can all use a shorter chapter to process everything (or at least I do!). I'm far into the next chapter, so that should be coming soon. Also, this is your last chance to vote on a name for Catherine's baby, so send me a message or review if you want to make your opinion known. Thank you all so much for reading and supporting this story!**


	46. Chapter 46

"I feel like a beached whale." Catherine whined as she lay on the couch at Lorelai and Luke's house.

"Sorry hun." Rory said sympathetically as Catherine lifted her head enough for Rory to sit on the couch and then placed her head in Rory's lap. Rory lovingly stroked her daughter's hair before kissing her forehead. "You don't have too much longer to go."

"I'm ready now." Catherine whined. "I know we had a scary time early in my pregnancy, but the doctor said that everything looks good now. So, what's taking this kid so long? I'm huge!"

"Unfortunately babies come on their own schedule. Sorry." Rory smiled. "At least this way the house will be ready by the time he's born. You won't have to move with a newborn, so that's good."

"Yeah, I guess. When are the guys going to be done with everything? I went over there earlier and got shoed away by Grandpa. He said it was too dangerous for me to be in a construction zone. They're just painting and doing some minor repairs! They weren't even moving furniture yet. How could I possibly get hurt?" Catherine said with irritation in her voice.

"They're just overprotective." Rory smiled. "Although, I did hear your Dad talking about remodeling your bathroom."

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. It's a little dated, so your Dad insisted that you have something nicer. I left when they were ripping out tiles." Rory explained.

"Oh geez. Can't they just leave well enough alone?"

"Not when it involves a female family member." Rory shrugged. "It's nice of them to think you deserve the best."

"It is." Catherine agreed. "They aren't painting the baby's room yet, are they?"

"I don't think so. They don't know what color you picked."

"Ok, good." Catherine sighed. "I already asked Jeremy to help with that, so I don't want to take that job away."

"Really? He's helping with the nursery?"

"Yes. I thought it might be nice for him to be involved in something before the baby is born. I read in my book that it's really important for the Dad to connect to the baby even before birth. Plus, I think Jeremy really just has no clue as to what he should be doing. And he offered to help, so why not let him?"

Rory nodded and thought for a moment before responding. "It's a nice idea. I guess I'm just a little skeptical when it comes to Jeremy. I know things have been going really well between you two lately and you're trying to do what's best for the baby. That's really good, but it wasn't that long ago that Jeremy wasn't in a very good place. I can't forget the pain he caused you and I'm afraid he'll hurt you again."

"I get that Mom." Catherine sighed. "I can't say that I completely trust him either right now, but I think he deserves a chance. I don't want to keep him from the baby."

"Ok, but just be careful." Rory nodded. "I know it's not my place to say what you do, but I just want you to be careful."

"I will be." Catherine agreed. "Thanks for letting me handle this Mom. I understand that you're concerned for me and the baby, but I appreciate you letting me deal with it on my own. I'm sure I'll be asking for a ton of help once the baby is born, but I need you to trust my judgment on Jeremy."

"I do." Rory said quickly, but with doubt in her mind. She really didn't want Jeremy around her daughter at all after how he'd treated her. In Rory's opinion, if Jeremy had been trustworthy, he and Catherine would still be married. He hurt Catherine so much and Rory couldn't stand to sit on the sidelines. However, she knew that it wasn't her place to interfere and that Catherine needed to handle Jeremy's involvement with the baby on her own. For the time being, Rory concluded that she simply needed to support her daughter and not say too much unless she was asked.

"Do you think we could go next door and check on the progress?"

"We could." Rory agreed before Catherine sat up slowly and Rory stood to help her get off of the couch.

"Ugh" Catherine grunted as she stood up straight and rubbed her belly. "It's like he's doing summer salts in there. Calm it down kid." She joked.

Rory smiled and linked arms with Catherine as they slowly walked next door to survey the damage.

As they approached the house, Will came out and waved at them to stop.

"Oh no, don't go in there." He said. "There is too much going on."

"I want to check on the progress." Catherine said and shoved passed Will.

"Let her go." Rory whispered to Will.

"They just finished tearing out her bathroom, so it's really far from done. It should be done in a couple days, but it's a mess right now."

Rory nodded before following after Catherine as she made her way through the house and to her bedroom. She stopped in the doorway of the baby's room and frowned when she saw Ben painting the room. He'd come to Stars Hollow for the weekend to help get the house ready and move furniture.

"What are you doing?" She asked and put her hands on her hips.

Ben turned around and looked at her in confusion. "Putting primer on the walls so I can paint tomorrow."

"Don't"

"What? Why not? Don't tell me you actually liked that ugly brown color that was her before." Ben sighed.

"Jeremy's painting the nursery."

"What? Why? I can just get it done right away and you won't have to worry about it."

"I asked him to help and he's looking forward to doing it. You can finish with that primer stuff if you want, but stop after that." Catherine insisted before leaving and going to check on the bathroom.

Ben tossed the roller brush he was using back into the paint pan before stomping off to leave. Rory heard the interaction and grabbed Ben's shoulder before ushering him to the garage so they could talk.

"Ben, I appreciate your help with everything so far, but you really need to let Jeremy tackle the nursery." Rory explained to Ben as they stood in the garage.

"Why? Why is Jeremy so special all of a sudden? He shouldn't be welcome in this house." Ben said coldly.

"I'm not too excited about him being here either, but this isn't about us liking him. It's about Jeremy being allowed to do something for his son. Helping paint the nursery and put together the furniture will help Jeremy connect with becoming a Dad and allow let him see that he will play an active role in his son's life." Rory tried to explain. "I know it's hard to understand, but just trust me on this one. I don't think Jeremy and Catherine are going to finish everything right away, so maybe you can help her in a couple days. You could always help her put all the baby's clothes away and organize the toys. That's probably not as interesting as actually decorating, but it's still important. And don't forget, you'll always get to be the baby's Uncle."

"Fine." Ben nodded and crossed his arms. "Maybe it's just me, but I remember a time not too long ago when Jeremy was hitting Catie and taking advantage of her. I'm not ready to just ignore the past and treat him like some hero."

"I get that Ben. I'm not exactly thrilled about him being so involved, but we really have to let Catherine make her own choices. She says he's changed, so we have to believe her right now. If Jeremy doesn't have his act together, we can step in and do something. Until then, we just have to support Catherine and enjoy spending time with the baby."

"Fine, but if that guy lays a finger on my nephew, I'm going to seriously hurt him." Ben insisted.

"You're not the only one." Rory agreed before hugging him. "However, let's focus on helping Catherine and less on hating Jeremy."

XXXXX

"Hey!" Jenny yelled as she entered Luke and Lorelai's house with baby Evie in her arms.

"There she is!" Lorelai exclaimed before taking Evie from Jenny. "How's my beautiful girl today?"

"She's happy now." Jenny said. "She screamed bloody murder most of the night, took a nap this morning, and is now perfectly happy."

"Did you keep Mommy and Daddy up all night?" Lorelai frowned at Evie as she smiled.

"Yes, she did." Jenny answered and walked to the living room before collapsing on the couch. "Sam had to work this morning, so I tried to let him sleep, but he insisted on staying up too. I think he got about four hours of sleep total."

"I can watch her for a while if you want to go take a nap." Lorelai offered.

"Actually, that would be really great." Jenny smiled. "Thanks"

"No problem. You can crash in Sam's old room; the bed is all made up." Lorelai said before Jenny got off the couch, kissed Evie before walking up the stairs to take a nap. "Well, what should we do little lady?" Lorelai asked Evie after Jenny had gone. "Let's go find Catie and see what she's doing."

As if on cue, Catherine waddled into the living room. "Hey, what's happening?"

"Not much." Lorelai answered. "Jenny's taking a nap and I'm hanging out with Evie."

"Can I hold her?"

"Sure." Lorelai agreed and handed Catherine the baby after she'd slowly sat down on the couch.

"Hi Evie." Catherine smiled. "Hey Grandma, I just thought of something. How are Evie and my little guy going to be related?"

"hhmmm" Lorelai wondered. "Well, Sam is Rory's brother, so that makes him and Jenny your Uncle and Aunt. So, that makes Evie your Cousin. I think your baby and Evie would be second cousins or first cousins once removed, something like that."

"How about we just go with cousins?"

"Sounds good to me." Catherine nodded. "So, Evie, what do you think about having a little cousin?"

"Fun" Lorelai answered for Evie in a small child like voice.

Catherine laughed and tickled Evie's belly, causing her to giggle. "Is Grandma silly?"

"Yes" Lorelai agreed.

Catherine smiled and shrugged before kissing Evie's forehead.

"You're going to have a little one in your arms really soon."

"Yup. Any day now."

XXXXX

Catherine grunted and squeezed Rory's hand before gasping for air and relaxing back into the hospital bed. "These contractions are a bitch." She said.

"I know sweetie." Rory said sympathetically. "I really hate to say it, but they're going to get worse before this is all over."

"But I've been here for ten hours!" Catherine whined.

"You're only dilated seven centimeters." Rory explained. "Maybe in a few hours you'll be ready to push."

"Now" Catherine said in frustration.

"Nope. Not yet." Rory said. "Do you want me to have your Dad call Jeremy again?"

"No. I'm sure he's on his way." Catherine said. She had asked Rory and Joel to be in the delivery room, but Joel suggested Jeremy be there in his place. So, he offered to be in charge of calling Jeremy and holding down the fort in the waiting room. "It's probably best that he just wait until the 'big moment' arrives anyway. I don't know that I have anything nice to say to him while I'm in labor with his child."

"Good point." Rory smiled. "I definitely cursed your Dad out when I was in labor with you."

"Did it take this long?"

"Longer." Rory answered. "Fifteen hours."

"Dang. Did I mention that I seriously owe you for that?" She smiled. "How long did it take with Ben?"

"Ben was a different story. He came so early that I was mainly just terrified about him being ok. I think it was only five hours or so." Rory explained.

"At least I don't have to worry about that." Catherine said and gently rubbed her belly. "So far so good with this little one."

"It was scary there for a while, but you did a good job listening to your doctor and staying on bed rest."

"Yes, we're very lucky." Catherine agreed.

"Hi" Jeremy said as he cautiously entered the room.

"Hi Jeremy." Rory smiled. She wasn't a big fan of Jeremy right now, but thought he deserved to be here for the birth of his child so she forced herself to be respectful.

He slowly approached the bed and stood awkwardly next to Catherine as she looked at him. "Is everything going ok?" He asked.

"Yes" She nodded. "It hurts like shit and is going slow, but I'm told that's normal. Why are you wearing a nice shirt and tie?"

"I had a presentation for a client. Plus, I didn't know what else to wear. I didn't know if there was some sort of dress code." Jeremy said while shrugging and touching the end of his tie with one hand.

Another contraction hit Catherine and she grabbed Jeremy's hand while Rory told her not to push and held her other hand. Jeremy looked at Catherine with wide eyes as she took a deep breath after the pain subsided.

"Have you ever seen a woman in labor or a baby be born Jeremy?" Rory asked while looking at his pale complexion.

"No."

"Well, you're in for a treat." Rory smiled.

"I may kill you." Catherine said to Jeremy seriously.

XXXXX

After nearly twelve hours of labor, Catherine gave birth to a healthy baby boy. She smiled and then cried after the nurses cleaned him off and handed him back to her.

"He is beautiful" Rory whispered while looking at her Grandson in Catherine's arms.

"Hi baby" Catherine whispered and kissed his head.

Jeremy stood near the bed and watched the scene, his eyes fixed on his new son. Catherine looked over at Jeremy and asked, "Would you like to hold him?"

"I might break him." Jeremy whispered.

"No you won't." Catherine said and made room for Jeremy to sit next to her on the bed. She slowly and carefully passed the baby to Jeremy and smiled as Jeremy looked at the little boy in wonder.

"What's his name?" Jeremy asked.

"I haven't decided yet."

"I thought you had something in mind?"

"I wanted to run it by you first." Catherine said while looking at her son. "If you don't like it we can think of something else."

"Tell me."

"Nathan Benjamin Forrester. Nate for short."

"Forrester? I thought his last name would be Alexander since you changed yours back." Jeremy said while looked up at Catherine.

"You're his Dad. I thought it might be nice."

"Thank you. I like it." Jeremy said and smiled at the baby. "Hi, Nate."

"It's a nice name." Rory added. "I'm going to go get your Dad and be back in a minute."

"You look like a natural with him." Catherine smiled tiredly at Jeremy.

"Honestly, I'm kind of freaked out. He's pretty little."

"Babies are." Catherine smiled before touching Nate's head.

"Why don't you rest. I'll sit and hold him." Jeremy offered.

"I want to see my Dad first. I want to see him hold Nate for the first time."

"Sure." Jeremy nodded. "Here, you haven't had much time with him." He said and gently handed Nate back to Catherine. They both stared at the new baby until Rory returned with Joel.

"Hey" Joel said and slowly approached the bed. He smiled and kissed Catherine's forehead before looking at his new Grandson. Jeremy excused himself from the room as Rory and Joel sat on either side of Catherine. "Meet your Grandson" Catherine said and handed her son to Joel. "His name is Nathan Benjamin Forrester. Nate for short."

"Nathan?" Joel asked and looked up at her quickly.

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice if your middle name was his first name. Is it ok with you?"

"Sweetie, it's more than ok. It's wonderful. I'm honored." Joel said before swallowing the lump in his throat. He looked down at the baby with tears in his eyes before bending down to kiss Nate's forehead.

Rory smiled at the exchange and did her best to keep her emotions in check. "Are you feeling ok?" She asked Catherine as Joel held Nate. "Exhausted?"

"Yes" Catherine said and leaned back against the bed.

"You did so good sweetie." Rory and brushed Catherine's hair away from her face. "I'm so proud of you. Nate is beautiful."

"Thanks. Wait, you haven't held him yet, have you?"

"That's right. It's my turn Grandpa." She said playful as Joel held Nate closer. He reluctantly handed Rory the baby before she cradled him in her arms. "Hi Nate." She whispered as a few tears escaped her eyes.


	47. Chapter 47

Lorelai grabbed the coffee pot from its place in her kitchen and carefully walked next door. She knocked and waited a few minutes before Catherine answered the door.

"Hi! I brought coffee!" Lorelai smiled.

"Bless you." Catherine sighed. "I'm so tired."

Lorelai entered the house and took the coffee into the kitchen before Catherine retrieved two cups from the cupboard and Lorelai poured.

"How's Nate?" Lorelai asked as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Sleeping." Catherine sighed in relief. "He's been fussy all morning and finally went down for a nap."

"Well, if you ever want a break, I'm right next door."

"Thanks, but I'm ok for now. I'm tired, but still functioning." Catherine said. "Jeremy has been coming over every night after he gets done with work, so that's helpful."

"That's good. So, he's getting used to being a Dad?"

"I think so. At least he seems really interested and dedicated."

"Good for him." Lorelai nodded.

"Yeah. I appreciate the help and assurance that I'm not completely screwing this up."

"Screw up? What could you possibly be screwing up?" Lorelai wondered.

"The Mom thing."

"What? Honey, no. You're not screwing it up. You're doing great. It's really hard at first with every baby, but especially when you're doing it by yourself." Lorelai said.

"Then how come Nate is always upset? He's never happy and I never know what he wants." Catherine sighed. "I guess it's just frustrating when I look at Jenny and Evie and see how happy they are. It's like Evie was born and Jenny just took to it like a natural."

"I don't know that it was all that easy for Jenny." Lorelai reasoned. "I think she had lots of help from her parents and from Sam, so it made it look easier. Plus, Evie is a bit older now, so Jenny and Sam are in the grove now. You'll be the same way Catie. You'll see."

"Maybe if I ever got a full night's sleep that would help." Catherine shrugged.

"Probably." Lorelai agreed. "You really will be just fine. Nate is kind of a fussy baby right now, but he'll calm down a little and you'll both feel better. Don't ever think that you're not a good Mom though because that's simply not true." Lorelai insisted.

"Ok. Thanks Grandma." Catherine smiled before drinking a sip of her coffee. "So, I've been really out of the loop lately. Do you mind if I ask about Adam?"

"Ok, wow. Way to change the subject." Lorelai joked before shrugging her shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know a whole lot. I guess Rory is still talking to him, but he still won't return my calls. Luke tried to call last week, but it went unanswered also. I don't really know what to do at this point. I really want Adam back, but he won't budge, so what can I do?"

"I don't know." Catherine frowned.

"It'll be ok, eventually. I hope." Lorelai sighed. "Anyways, Ben is coming to visit again this weekend, right?"

"Yeah, he's totally loving being an Uncle."

"That's good." Lorelai nodded. "I saw a for sale sign on Weston's Bakery yesterday. I also heard from Miss Patty that Madelyn is moving. I tried to get more info, but strangely that's all Patty knew. I wonder what the deal is with Madelyn."

"That is really strange." Catherine agreed. "I really liked Madelyn, so I don't really understand why she freaked out when Ben proposed. I get that she wasn't ready to be married or even engaged, but why not just tell Ben it was too soon. He's a reasonable guy; he'd understand. Unless, you don't think there's someone else, do you?"

"No, Madelyn doesn't seem like that kind of person. I really liked her too, so it's really hard to understand the whole thing."

"I hope Ben isn't too upset when he visits." Catherine said. "He's actually been doing a little better and finally seems to be getting over her."

"I think we could find a few ways to distract him." Lorelai smiled.

"Speaking of which, we should totally have a family dinner when he's here. He'd love that."

"Sure, I think we can handle that." Lorelai agreed. "Will's been wanting to bring Melissa over, so we can have one big get together."

"When is any get together with our family not a big one?"

"Good point."

"Speaking of Melissa…." Catherine asked. "How are she and Will doing?"

"Pretty good from what I can tell. Will doesn't say much, so it's hard to tell, but he's been smiling more than usual so that must be a sign of good things."

"Maybe _too_ good." Catherine snickered.

"Dirty" Lorelai smiled. "We seem to have issues with always thinking dirty thoughts in this family."

"Yeah, I gotta start watching the off color jokes now that Nate is here. He'll be picking up all my bad habits before I know it."

"Knowing our family, you're going to have a lot of bad habits to keep him away from." Lorelai laughed.

XXXXX

Rory jogged back to the house after her morning run. She entered the house and stopped in the living room when she saw Joel lying on the couch watching TV.

"Hey. How was your run?" Joel asked as he put the remote down.

"Good." Rory nodded before bending over him to kiss him.

Joel wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her down on top of himself. "Ouch" He grimaced and touched his stomach. "Your elbow jabbed me in the stomach." He complained.

"You pulled me down." Rory protested before adjusting her torso off of Joel and wedging herself between him and the back of the couch, with their legs still entangled. "Sorry" She said and rubbed his stomach before resting her head on Joel's chest.

"I'm glad we bought this big couch. It's a lot easier to cuddle now." He joked.

"Yes, it's nice to have money to buy these things." Rory agreed.

"Yeah. We've always had money, but it's nice to be able to buy things we like without having to worry about a budget." Joel said. He moved his arms around Rory before frowning. "You're sweaty."

"Ya think?" Rory laughed. "I just got back from running. I'll go take a quick shower and come back."

"Or you could stay here and get a little sweatier." Joel smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"Or I could go take a shower." Rory smiled.

"I could join you?" Joel hoped.

"You really do have one thing on your mind all the time, don't you?" Rory joked.

"I can't help it. I'm a guy and you're hot." Joel shrugged before sneaking a hand under Rory's top and up her back.

"Hey, hey, hey." Rory giggled while slapping his chest. "Keep your hands to yourself Mister."

"But why?" Joel groaned playfully. "Come on Rory." He said before kissing her.

"It is hard to resist you." Rory smiled before kissing him again.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Catherine said as she wandered down the stairs with a fussy Nate in her arms. "Do I even want to look over the back of the couch and see what's going on?" She joked.

"We're keeping it PG." Joel said before tickling Rory and causing her to giggle.

"Doesn't sound like PG." Catherine mumbled. "You two are like teenagers." She shook her head and covered Nate's eyes. "Don't look at your Grandparents Nate."

"How is he?" Rory asked while pulling herself up to look at Catherine over the back of the couch.

"He's really fussy today." Catherine answered. "I think he's hungry again, but he just ate like 30 minutes ago."

"Want me to hold him for a while?" Rory offered. 

"Actually, that would be good. I'm just going to get some milk I pumped earlier." Catherine explained. "My boobs need a break."

Rory smirked as she got up off the couch and took her Grandson in her arms. "Nate, what's going on buddy?" She asked him.

"Hey, I got ditched like a dirty shirt." Joel protested as he stood up and walked over to where Rory was holding Nate.

"Sorry, this little guy gets priority." Rory joked before handing Nate to Joel.

"I guess I can deal with that." Joel agreed before kissing Nate's head. "What's wrong buddy? Why are you giving your Mommy a hard time, huh?" He asked as the baby began to calm down in his arms. "Did you just miss Grandpa?"

Catherine returned with a small bottle for Nate. She handed it to Joel, who quickly offered it to Nate. Within seconds, Nate was calm and appeared to be enjoying his bottle.

"How the heck did you do that?" Catherine gasped.

"It's a gift." Rory agreed. "You were a fussy baby just like Nate and only your Dad could get you to calm down sometimes. I don't get it, but that's how it works."

"You want to quit your job and be a full time nanny?" Catherine joked.

"That's not a bad idea." Joel said. "But, I think I'm going to need a better job title."

"And you're going to have to tone down the PDA."

"Well, in that case, I don't think I can accept the job offer." Joel smirked as Rory rolled her eyes.

XXXXX

"Madelyn!" Ben yelled as he saw Madelyn walking across the street from the diner on a cold rainy night. She pretended not to hear him, so he ran after her and stopped in front of her. "Madelyn, please, just give me a minute."

"Ben…"

"Please. Just tell me what I did wrong." He pleaded as they both began to get soaked by the rain.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Madelyn sighed. "It's really my fault."

"I don't understand."

"I got scared. You asked me to marry you, Ben. That's a huge deal and I'm not sure I'm ready for that commitment." Madelyn explained and furrowed her brow. "I love you Ben, but I just don't know if I'm ready to get married. I don't want to make a mistake and hurt you. I don't have any family, Ben, so I can't talk with anyone about this. I'm nervous and confused and I have no idea what to do."

"So talk to me about it. I want to be your family Madelyn." Ben pleaded. "I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. We don't have to get married right away. Maybe I jumped the gun a little, but I want you to know that I'm serious about us. We can talk about everything you're scared or nervous about. Please don't walk away from me." He said and touched her arm.

"I don't know how to be a wife, Ben." Madelyn said with tears in her eyes. "I don't know that I really want to be one either."

"I don't know how to be a husband." Ben shrugged. "We'll figure that out together. We can figure anything out as long as we talk about it. I love you Madelyn."

"Ben, I can't do this now."

"I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. I'll leave if that's what you want, but I'd rather marry you." Ben smiled.

"I'm really sorry Ben."

"I really don't get it. I love you and you say you love me, but why are you breaking up with me?" Ben pressed. "I thought you were the one. I mean, I didn't want to get together with you at first because I was sick, so you waited for me to get better. We went through all that and then you came to visit and I…" Ben hesitated and looked down. "I…gave you my virginity…because I love you and…I…I just never thought it was something that I'd regret. I waited for so long."

"Ben" Madelyn sighed. "You know it was a first for me too and I loved you too. It wasn't something I did to hurt you. I just can't marry you now."

"I don't understand."

"I'm sorry." Madelyn said quietly before kissing him on the cheek and practically running away through the town square.

Ben turned and watched in shock as she disappeared from sight. He continued to stand in the rain, now soaked to the bone, until Luke came out of the diner and pulled Ben inside. Luke didn't look at Ben until they got upstairs to the apartment and stood in the bathroom. Ben had always been strong, but looked as if he was about to crumble into a million pieces.

"Hey" Luke said and grabbed his shoulders. "It's going to be ok."

Ben nodded and swallowed a couple times before Luke patted him on the shoulders. "I…"

"Take some time to calm down Ben." Luke insisted. "Get out of those clothes and take a hot shower to warm up a bit. There are some clothes in the dresser and some pajamas. You can stay here tonight to have some time to yourself."

"Thanks." Ben nodded.

Luke nodded before patting Ben on the back. "I know this doesn't help a lot right now, but everything really will be ok eventually. It really sucks that Madelyn doesn't want what you do. I'm really sorry. If you want to talk about it at some point, I'm always available for that. Just so you know."

"Thanks Grandpa."


	48. Chapter 48

Ben lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He finally calmed down a bit, but was still upset. He checked his phone and sighed when he noticed there weren't any missed calls or texts. Grandpa Luke had probably told the family to leave him alone for the night, but at the moment Ben sort of wanted to talk. He just couldn't figure out what had happened with Madelyn and it was beginning to drive him crazy. One minute everything was fine and the next Madelyn was breaking up with him. It made absolutely no sense to Ben.

Ben sighed and threw the covers back on the bed before sitting on the edge of the bed. He stood up and went to the closet in search of some clothes to wear. All he could find were some jeans and flannel shirts, but his clothes were still drying, so he quickly put on something decent and found some shoes. He walked out of the diner and toward Madelyn's house at a quick pace. The rain had finally stopped, but everything was still wet. Ben marched up the stairs toward Madelyn's apartment and pounded on the front door. There was no immediate answer or the sound of anyone coming to the door, so he pounded on the door again.

A very tall man answered the door and frowned at Ben. "What the hell do you want? It's the middle of the night?"

"What do I want?" Ben scoffed. "This is my girlfriend's apartment. Who are you?"

"You're not my boyfriend anymore, Ben." Madelyn informed him as she came to the door.

"What, so you just ditch me for this guy?" Ben scoffed as he looked at the guy standing next to his ex-girlfriend. "I can't believe you Madelyn. I thought I knew you, but I guess I was wrong."

"It's not like that Ben." Madelyn insisted. "I never meant to hurt you. I've known Troy for a long time. We grew up together and just recently started talking after many years apart. I didn't know I could feel that way for someone. Ben, you have to understand that I have to follow my heart."

"By stomping all over mine?"

"That's not what I'm trying to do." Madelyn insisted. "I'm selling Weston's and moving. I'm going to Boston with Troy. I won't bother you or anything."

"But that's now how this is supposed to end!" Ben shouted and clenched his fists.

"Well, poor baby. You didn't get what you wanted." Madelyn spat at him. "I know everything always works out for you Ben, but this time it's not going to. I don't love you. I'm sorry, but I don't. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to just pretend that I love you and marry you? Should I just keep lying to you for years? I can't do that Ben. As bad as you may think I am, you'll be better off in the long run if I leave now. Start over and find someone else."

"But why?"

"Seriously, Dude?" Troy said. "Are you stupid or something? She said she doesn't love you and doesn't want to be with you."

"You really want to be with this guy?" Ben asked Madelyn, who nodded. "Fine." Ben said and walked away. He stomped away from Madelyn's apartment and back toward the diner with his fists clenched. He was crossing the street when he suddenly slipped on the wet pavement and fell off the sidewalk and into the street.

"Shit" Ben said under his breath as he felt a sharp pain run through his wrist. After noticing he was in the street, he slowly got up and walked to the diner. It started raining again, so he went into the diner and got into the apartment as fast as his aching body would allow. Ben examined his right wrist to see how bad it was before making his way to the bathroom to look for aspirin or some sort of pain killer. His wrist didn't appear to be broken, so he took two pills with a glass of water and went to lay down in bed. He sighed and starred at the ceiling while trying to calm down.

Ben's body was sore from the fall, but nothing seemed to be seriously wrong. He still didn't really understand Madelyn's actions, but she'd made it clear that things were over between them. He'd have to learn to accept it and eventually move on.

XXXXX

"Ben" Rory said as she gently shook Ben's shoulder. "Ben, it's almost ten AM. You don't normally sleep this late. Are you ok?"

"Huh?" Ben said as he opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but winded in pain as soon as he put weight on his wrist.

"Let me see." Rory said and his wrist in her hands as she examined it. "It's really swollen, Ben."

"I slipped and fell last night." He admitted. "I landed on my wrist, but I don't think it's broken."

"We'll have to go see a doctor to get this looked at. I don't think you can just ignore it and expect it to heal properly." Rory said before setting his wrist down on the bed and looking at him. "Ben, what else happened last night?"

"I went to Madelyn's apartment. I wanted to hear a valid reason for her to break up with me. Instead, I found out that she's seeing some other guy."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Ben."

"Yeah, well, I guess the joke is on me. I wonder how long she's been seeing that guy. I just can't believe she just ditched me like that. I guess this just goes to show that you really can't completely know someone. I'll definitely be more careful before trusting someone that much again." Ben said firmly.

"Ben, I know you're hurting, but please don't shut the world out because someone broke your heart. I'd hate to see you close yourself off from everyone. I've seen that happen to people and it's not pretty." Rory sighed. "You're a wonderful young man, Ben. I'm not just saying that because I'm your Mom. You care a lot about others and have a really big heart. It would be a big loss to all of us if you didn't move passed this pain."

"I don't really know how to move forward when it hurts this bad."

"Well, you can start by getting out of bed, getting dressed, and meeting me downstairs for breakfast. Let me buy you something to eat and then we'll go to the doctor and get your wrist checked out."

"Ok" Ben agreed.

"See you downstairs in a few minutes." Rory nodded before giving him a quick hug and leaving the apartment.

XXXXX

Later that day, Ben and Rory returned from the doctor with Ben's wrist in a brace.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Joel asked as they entered the house.

"Just a sprain." Rory said before kissing Joel and going to the kitchen to get Ben a cup of coffee. "You ok or do you want me to make you something to eat?" Rory asked as she handed Ben the cup.

"I could eat." Ben said. "Is there anything in the fridge?"

"Probably, but I can make you anything you want or I can order a pizza?" Rory offered.

"Pizza sounds really good."

"Then Pizza it is." Rory agreed and went to call the order in.

Joel sat down at the table with his son and looked at his wrist for a while. "Does that hurt?"

"Not right now. The doctor gave me some good pain killers, so I'm feeling pretty good." Ben smiled.

"I bet." Joel nodded. "So, your Mom said you slipped last night and landed on your wrist. What were you doing last night, again?"

"Trying to figure out why the hell Madelyn broke up with me." Ben said in frustration.

"No need to get upset, Ben. I'm just trying to figure it out by talking to you."

"I'm really sick of everyone telling me what to do. Madelyn broke up with me and I don't understand why! I'm just trying to figure out why. I went over to her place last night and found out she's seeing some other guy. I've been such a fool for trusting her." Ben said and put his head down on the table.

"Hey, you're not a fool." Joel said and rubbed his hair. "Don't think that."

"Ok, whatever you say." Ben said before getting up from the table. "I'll be upstairs sleeping. Call me when the Pizza is here."

"Ok" Joel nodded before frowning as Rory entered the room.

"Do you think he's going to be ok?" She asked.

"I don't know. He's getting really depressed."

"Maybe Ben should talk to somebody about it."

"Like a therapist?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to a friend of mine in the Psychology department at school. Maybe she can recommend someone for Ben to see."

"If that's what helps him, I'm for it." Joel nodded.

XXXXX

Catherine had just gotten Nate to go back to sleep and was walking back to her room when she heard a noise coming from Ben's room. She slowly opened the door to his bedroom and walked over to his bed.

"Ben? Are you ok?" She asked as she sat down on his bed.

"Hmmm?" Ben said and rolled over to look at her.

"It sounded like you were crying. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Ben insisted.

"You don't sound like you're fine."

"What time is it?"

"I think it's around four in the morning. I just got Nate to go back to sleep."

"How do you keep up with his demanding routing? Seems like a lot of work for such a small person." Ben noted.

"Yeah, it's a lot of work and I do get tired sometimes, but it's good. I love Nate, so I don't mind all the work."

"It's crazy that you have a kid, you know?"

"I know. It's kind of hard to believe sometimes." Catherine smiled.

"Would you change anything about your life if you could?" Ben asked.

"I don't know. Maybe." Catherine answered slowly. "I don't think I'd choose to be a single Mom if I could have. I have a lot of support, so I'm not too bad off. I just wish Nate had more of a traditional family." Catherine shrugged. "Where is this coming from?"

"I'm just trying to figure out what to do with my life now. I had a plan and now that's not going to happen, so I need to figure something else out." Ben said and shook his head.

"Life doesn't always go as planned." Catherine agreed. "When I was growing up, I always thought that I would go to college and then graduate school and become a lawyer. I thought it would be nice to have a family some day, but not while I was still in school. Maybe if I met the right guy, I might get married while in Grad school, but we certainly wouldn't have kids until after I started my career." Catherine explained. "I certainly wouldn't have thought I'd have gotten married while still and undergraduate and then have a baby while going through a divorce. My life the last couple years has been the exact opposite of what I imagined. There have been some bad times, but I'm happy that I got Nate out of the deal. In all the bad, he's the bright spot."

"He is a pretty cute little guy." Ben agreed.

"Yeah, I guess I'll keep him." Catherine laughed before holding Ben's hand. "Ben, I know you've had some disappointments lately. You had a plan and it didn't work out. That really sucks. I'm sorry. However, you have to see that this gives you the opportunity to create a different, probably better, plan. I can't tell you what to do, but can I offer some advice?"

"Sure, Sis."

"Go back to Seattle." She began before Ben laughed at her. "I don't want you to leave, of course, but I want what's best for you. I think you should go back to Seattle and do well finishing up your college degree. If it's still your dream to open your own coffee business, then do that and do it really well. If you focus on your goal, I think you'll be a lot happier. You will have a wife and a family some. You'll meet the right woman and everything will be good. It probably seems really far off right now, but it will happen."

"Yeah? Thanks." Ben nodded. "It does seem far off, but I think you're right. I guess I'm just feeling a little bad for myself. I should get back on track and focus on school."

"You certainly have that going for you." Catherine agreed. "You're a good student and really do have a talent for business."

"Thanks. I've actually been thinking about talking to Patrick about working for him."

"Really? Ben Alexander working for 'The Danes Group'?" She smiled. "That could be really cool."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I really like Patrick's ideas and think it would be fun to work with him. I still really want to own my own coffee shop, but I think I could work that into the hotel business. We'll need a good coffee supplier, so I can work on that or we could start our own coffee roasting company. We could supply the hotels we own plus others around the area. It could be really profitable."

"Sounds like it." Catherine agreed. "See, just focus on that and forget about the disappointments of the past."

"Thanks Catie." Ben smiled before hugging his sister. "I appreciate the advice."

"No problem." She nodded. "Now go back to sleep." She joked before standing up and walking toward the door. "Goodnight" She said and left.

XXXXX

Luke stood over the stove concentrating on the pancakes he was cooking. He jumped a little when Lorelai suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.

"What's cookin' good lookin'?" Lorelai grinned.

"Pancakes." Luke said before flipping a couple onto a plate and handing them to his wife.

"Thanks" Lorelai beamed before walking over to the table and starting to eat.

"Hey" Patrick protested from where he sat at the other end of the table with Martha and Jacob. "We were here first."

"Yes, but if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here at all." Lorelai pointed and before Patrick sighed and shook his head.

Luke flipped a pancake onto a plate and placed a large spoonful of applesauce on top before walking over to where Jacob was sitting in a high chair.

"ah ah!" Jacob exclaimed and reached out for the food as he grandpa set it down in front of him. Luke smiled and rubbed the boy's hair as Jacob grabbed a fist full of applesauce and smeared it all over his mouth.

"Hold on a second, Buddy." Patrick said before grabbing a spoon and beginning to feed Jacob. "I'd prefer if you ate your breakfast and didn't wear it."

"That kid's eating habits are so weird." Lorelai commented.

"And you're one to talk?" Patrick scoffed.

"Applesauce with pancakes? Talk about ruining good pancakes." She explained.

"He likes some healthy stuff." Martha added.

"Strange, strange boy." Lorelai smiled before eating the last bite of pancakes on her plate. "More please." She smiled at Luke.

"Ok, but I need to make more." Luke agreed as he set plates down in front of Patrick and Martha. "Who else is coming over for breakfast? Should I make a ton?"

"Well, Mom's here, so yeah…" Patrick joked.

"Hey" Lorelai frowned.

"Sam and Jenny said they'd be here. I think Rory, Joel, Ben, and Catie are coming over. Will's at the Inn this morning, so he won't be here." Patrick explained.

"Hey!" Jenny called from the front door as she, Sam, and Evie entered the house and made their way to the kitchen.

Everyone greeted them and Lorelai quickly grabbed Evie from Sam. He quickly sat down at the table and put his head down before closing his eyes. Jenny went into the kitchen and poured Sam a cup of coffee before returning to the table and setting it down in front of him.

"Coffee, babe." She said quietly and rubbed his back.

"Thanks" He grumbled while keeping his eyes closed.

"Still don't like mornings, huh?" Patrick snickered.

"No" Sam said. "Especially not after Evie screamed for three hours last night."

"What? This sweet little thing would never do anything like that." Lorelai said while smiling at her Granddaughter. Luke brought over two more plates of pancakes and set one in front of Jenny and one in front of Sam. "Hey, when am I going to get more?" Lorelai joked.

Sam propped himself up on an elbow and began to eat and drink his coffee. "Thanks Dad, this is good."

"You're welcome." Luke nodded.

"Hey!" Rory called as she and her family entered the house and sat down around the table.

"How's Nate?" Luke asked as he brought more food to the table.

"Good. He slept pretty well last night." Catherine answered.

"He does have a pretty loud voice for a baby though." Ben added. "I could hear him loud and clear when he did wake up."

"Welcome to life with a baby." Sam joked.

"It does get better." Patrick said. "Jacob doesn't scream nearly as much as he used to. Plus, he sleeps in longer stretches of time, so I'm actually getting more regular sleep now."

"So, now that he's getting out of that stage, it's time to have another one, right?" Lorelai asked with a big smile on her face.

"Not right now." Patrick answered quickly. "Martha and I want to get married and settle into life as a family before we have a kid."

"How is the wedding planning going?" Jenny asked Martha.

"Good, but it's taking so much time." Martha sighed. "We've only got a couple months left and I'll I've done is find a caterer."

"We can help." Lorelai offered. "I've planned a ton of weddings at the Inn, so I know a thing or two about it."

"Actually, that would be really helpful. Between work, taking care of Jacob, and trying to spend time with each other, there is no time left for wedding planning."

"We can get together in the next couple days and talk about your overall ideas and I'll get to work from there." Lorelai nodded.

"Hey, Mom, can I talk to you upstairs for a bit?" Rory said quietly. Lorelai nodded and followed Rory upstairs to the office before pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. "I talked to Adam early this morning." She admitted and Lorelai nodded as Rory continued. "He said that Megan was having some pains so they went to the hospital last night. There were some complications and the doctors did an emergency C-Section really early this morning."

"Is it ok? It's early, right?" Lorelai said with concern written all over her face.

"The babies are two months early, so they're really fragile, but Adam said they look like fighters."

"They?"

"Yes, it's twins. Adam said that they just found out about a month ago, so it's a big surprise for everyone. They're both boys." Rory said and showed Lorelai a picture of the babies that Adam had sent her. "They're really little, but you can already see how much they look like Adam."

"Wow" Lorelai said in disbelief.

"Adam said they're going to have to stay in the hospital for a while."

"Do they have names?"

"Daniel Paul Danes and Graham Lucas Danes." Rory said. "Paul is Megan's Dad's name and you know who Lucas is for."

"I love those names. Luke will be really touched." Lorelai whispered as she looked at the picture of her newest Grandsons. "Can I go see them?"

"I don't know, Mom. I'm not sure that would be such a good idea right now."

"Is it ever going to be a good idea?"

"I don't know."

"Well, maybe I'll just go up there and surprise them. Adam won't be angry when he sees me. It will be ok." Lorelai insisted.

"Mom…" Rory sighed.

"I'm so sick of this; all this tip toeing around and not being able to say anything. I just want to go see my Son and meet my Grandsons. I don't want to cause any trouble."

"Please don't, Mom."

Lorelai sighed in frustration and quickly left the room with Rory's cell phone still in her hand. Rory followed after her and tried to reason with her, but it was no use.

"Luke!" Lorelai called as she entered the kitchen. "Look at this Luke!" She said and thrust the cell phone into Luke's hands. "Adam called Rory this morning to inform her that he has two Sons now. That's them, our Grandsons; Daniel Paul Danes and Graham Lucas Danes. They look like Adam, don't you think?" Lorelai said quickly with anger in her voice. "Rory says I shouldn't go to the hospital and see them. She thinks I should just sit back and pretend like those babies don't exist."

"Mom, that's not what I said." Rory insisted as everyone at the kitchen table watched quietly.

"I'm going to see them. I don't care what anyone says. Adam's young and is probably really scared right now and I'm going to go be there for him." Lorelai insisted while going into the living room to get her purse. "Are you coming, Luke?" She barked from the front door. Luke didn't say anything, but handed Rory her cell phone and followed his wife out the front door.

"Great." Rory mumbled.


	49. Chapter 49

**AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews and feedback! I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter.**

XXXXX

Lorelai tightened her grip on the steering wheel and continued to drive toward New Hampshire with a determined look on her face. She'd stormed out of the house, with Luke on her heals and hadn't said a word to him for the past half an hour as she drove. Luke hadn't tried to talk to her yet, but had looked at her out of the corner of his eye several times.

Lorelai sighed and slowed down before driving off the exit of the freeway and pulling into a parking lot. As soon as she shifted the car into park, she began to cry and leaned over the steering wheel.

Luke remained silent, but quickly began rubbing her back. "Hey, Lorelai." He whispered to try to get her to calm down. "Hey, calm down and talk to me."

"Sorry" Lorelai apologized as she wiped her eyes and took a few deep breaths to pull herself together.

"No need to apologize. Are you ok? What's up?" Luke asked calmly as he took her hand in his.

Lorelai shifted in her seat so she was turned toward him. "It's just this whole thing with Adam. This is not how I pictured his life going. I don't have a relationship with him anymore and I hate it. I admit that I was a little controlling before and that's what drove him away, but I'll do whatever it takes to get him back. Adam's not supposed to be dealing with hard times on his own. I'm supposed to be there to support him and help him. I feel like such a failure that my baby boy is alone in a hospital worrying about his infant Sons. He must be terrified."

"You're not a failure, Lorelai. Adam is an adult and has made his own choices." Luke said and shrugged.

"Luke" Lorelai groaned and hung her head for a moment before looking back up at him. "I know we're not on the same page with Adam's situation, but I don't want to fight about it anymore. You are going to have to work things out with him on your own. I'm tired of being stubborn and wanting to be right. I don't care if I have to beg him to talk to me. I have to go see him and meet our Grandsons. My heart is telling me that Adam needs me and I just have to go find him."

"Lorelai, this is nuts. We don't even know what hospital to go to. How are we going to find him? What are we going to do when we get there? What if Adam won't talk to us?"

"I have to go find out, Luke. If he won't talk to us, fine, but I have to go and see him."

"Ok" Luke agreed. "How do we find out which hospital Adam's in?"

"I saw on Rory's phone when she showed me the picture."

"Ok, so we'll go and see what we can do to help." Luke nodded and squeezed her hand.

"Luke" Lorelai sighed. "We have two new Grandbabies."

"I know." Luke grinned. "Daniel and Graham."

"It's really hard to believe that Adam has two babies of his own. I swear it was just yesterday that he was born."

"It practically was yesterday." Luke noted. "He's really young, but I think he'll be a great Dad. As much as Adam and I may not see eye to eye, I know he'll be really good with Daniel and Graham. He has a great capacity to love."

"Luke, I need to ask you a favor. Can you please not fight with Adam for now? Could you please just not say anything to upset him?" Lorelai asked gently. "I know Adam played a role in this too, but I seriously doubt he's going to be able to focus on anything other than those little babies."

"I won't cause a scene." Luke assured her. "I have a lot I'd like to say to Adam, but I'll wait until another time. He needs to take care of his boys right now."

"Thank you." Lorelai nodded.

XXXXX

Adam held his both of his Sons gently as he sat in the NICU department of the hospital. He was wearing a protective gown over his clothes to protect his Sons from any germs that might be on his clothes. The boys were very small and needed little oxygen tubes in their noses to help them breathe. He still couldn't get used to the fact that he had two Sons, but here he was, holding one small baby in each arm in the NICU and hoping that everything would be alright. His wife, Megan, was still in the maternity wing of the hospital with her Mom there keeping an eye on her while Adam looked after their boys. Megan was completely exhausted and had been down to the NICU once, but was shocked by how small the boys were. She was too nervous about hurting them to hold either of them, but did hold their little hands as they lay in cribs. It worried Adam that Megan seemed to be so afraid of the boys, but figured she'd come around once she had recovered a bit more.

Adam looked down at his Sons and smiled. "Hi, Daniel. Hi, Graham. Hi little guys. I'm your Dad." He whispered as the babies slept in his arms. "I'm going to apologize now and admit that I don't really know what I'm doing. I've never been a Dad before. You're my first kids, so sorry, but you're going to have to teach me what to do. I don't want you to be disappointed with me, so I'm going to try really hard and do my best. Oh, and just so you know…I'll always love you and be proud of you." He said and kissed the top of Daniel's head and then Graham's.

Several minutes later, Adam looked up and was stunned to see his parents standing at the window of the NICU watching Adam holding his Sons. Adam looked at them for another minute before kissing Daniel and Graham's heads again and slowly putting them back in the clear plastic basinets that held them safely. He walked out the NICU doors and took off his gown, tossing it into the garbage, as he approached his parents.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Rory told me and I just had to come." Lorelai said. "It's really good to see you, Adam."

"I thought Rory said she wouldn't tell you where I was. What are you doing here?"

"We came to offer our support and to see the babies." Lorelai explained calmly.

"I don't need your support. I'm ok."

"Please, Adam." Lorelai practically begged.

"You two made it perfectly clear that you don't support me, so please save us all some trouble and stop pretending." Adam said.

"Adam, don't yell at your Mother." Luke said sternly. "She's just trying to help."

"I don't think you really want to be telling me what to do right now." Adam said and starred at Luke. "In fact, I don't think you should be here at all right now. Mom, you can stay for a minute to see Daniel and Graham if you'd like, but you gotta go, Dad."

"Fine." Luke huffed and turned around, stomping his feet as he walked down the hall.

"Adam, please don't be angry with your father." Lorelai pleaded. "Please, let's just set that aside for the moment."

"I can't." Adam insisted. "Dad just doesn't get it and I really can't deal with him right now. I have to focus on my Sons right now."

"Ok" Lorelai agreed and looked down at the floor before looking up and giving Adam a quick hug. "Congratulations, Adam. I know you're going to be a great Dad."

"Thanks, Mom. You want to hold them?"

"Yes" Lorelai smiled.

Adam walked back into the NICU with Lorelai and checked in with the nurses before putting on gowns and walking over to where the twins were. Adam motioned for Lorelai to sit while he picked Daniel up before handing him to his Mom.

"This is Daniel Paul Danes." Adam smiled.

"He's beautiful Adam. He looks a lot like you." Lorelai smiled as she examined her newest Grandson. "Hi Daniel."

"Think you can handle two at once?" Adam asked as he carefully picked Graham up.

"I think I can remember how it works." She smiled before adjusting Daniel to one arm as Adam handed her Graham.

"And this little guy is Graham Lucas Danes. He's two minutes younger than Daniel."

"They look like you, Adam. Very handsome." Lorelai nodded.

"Thanks Mom."

"Hi Guys." She smiled at the sleeping boys. "I'm your Grandma Lorelai."

Adam continued to smile as he observed the scene and couldn't help but feel good about Lorelai being there. He knew it wouldn't be the end to their troubles, but it was nice to have her around. It was nice that she could meet her Grandsons. Despite all of this, Adam was not pleased to see his Dad had also shown up. It didn't surprise him, but he really didn't want to deal with their drama right now.

"What are you thinking about?" Lorelai asked as she looked up at Adam.

"Nothing." Adam shrugged. "You look good holding them. They're calm, so they must like you."

"Thanks. They look so much alike. How are you going to tell them apart?" Lorelai wondered.

"Well, right now Daniel has a blue band on his left wrist and Graham has a green one, so that makes it easy. If you look carefully, you'll see that Graham's ears are bigger, for some reason. Daniel's hair is a little darker too. So, it's not so difficult once you get to know them." Adam shrugged.

"I guess you're right, Dad. Good observations." Lorelai smiled.

"Well, they're so little that I've been studying them just to make sure they're ok. I want to notice if something is wrong."

"Did the doctor mention any potential complications or issues?"

"There is a whole host of things that could happen, but nothing major right now. They needed a bit of oxygen to help them breathe when they were born, and are still on that, but their lungs seem to be getting stronger. All the issues they're dealing with now are just because they're so small. Everything I've been told points to two healthy boys as soon as they grow more."

"Good." Lorelai nodded. "Just keep in mind that they have a bit of that Gilmore blood in them. Us Gilmores are a tough bunch of fighters."

"I think they've already shown how strong they are." Adam agreed.

"Good." Lorelai nodded again. "How are you doing?"

"Good."

"No, how are you really doing? This is a lot to deal with. Are you feeling ok about it?"

"It is a lot." Adam agreed and clenched his jaw tightly. "Do you think we could go in the hall to talk about it? I don't want to do it in front of the boys."

"Sure" Lorelai agreed as Adam helped her carefully set the babies back in their basinets. They walked into the hallway and into a quiet waiting area. "Tell me what you're thinking." Lorelai asked as they sat down on a couch.

"Honestly?" He asked and she nodded. "I'm really scared. They're so little and I'm not ready to be a Dad. My wife is recovering from major surgery and I'm just really overwhelmed."

Lorelai didn't say anything, but hugged Adam tightly to comfort him.

"I was so scared when we went into the hospital. Daniel and Graham were born so fast, I didn't know anything to do other than to be scared." He admitted before finally breaking down and crying a little.

"It's ok, Adam." Lorelai said as she began to cry too. "It's ok to be scared and unsure of what to do. This is really tough stuff, but you'll figure it out. If you want, I can help you."

"I can do it." Adam said as he tried to pull himself together.

"I know you can." Lorelai agreed. "But, I don't want you to feel like you can't ask for help because you really can. Asking for help doesn't make you any less of a man or a bad Dad."

"Ok, thanks."

"Adam, can we go somewhere and talk?"

"We're already talking." Adam observed.

"I know, but it's a little too formal here." Lorelai shrugged.

"Yeah, let's go across the street and grab a cup of coffee. The coffee in the cafeteria sucks and I need some fresh air."

They quickly left the hospital and silently walked to the coffee shop across the street.

"Go ahead and order, I've got this." Adam said as he pointed to the menu board and took his wallet out of his pocket.

"No, I can get it." Lorelai insisted. "You just had two babies. The least I can do is buy you a cup of coffee."

"Ok, thanks." Adam nodded before stepping forward and ordering two cups of coffee from the barista.

Lorelai paid for the coffee and joined Adam the table he picked out.

"How's your wife?" Lorelai broke the silence.

"Megan's doing fine." Adam nodded. "Her Mom is with her right now. I think she's pretty sore from the surgery and really tired, but is otherwise doing really well."

"Good. I should stop by and say 'hi' when we go back over to the hospital. Unfortunately, I don't know her too well, but I can at least drop by."

"You'd probably like her if you got to know her." Adam said. "Her parents are really strict and conservative, but they're good people."

"Good. I'm glad you have someone to help you guys out."

"Yeah, I guess it's good." Adam nodded. "We live with Megan's parents, so it's a little awkward, but it's good to save money."

"How is married life? Is it what you thought it would be?" Lorelai asked and drank a sip of coffee.

"Yes and no." Adam answered. "It's a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I like that Megan and I are a team. I don't know what I'd do if I had to take care of the boys on my own for the rest of my life. It would be really hard."

"So, you and Megan are doing well together?"

"I think so. I mean, we're both young and don't really know what we're doing, but we love each other."

"How old is Megan?"

"Eighteen."

"That's young." Lorelai agreed. "And you have two high needs babies."

"I can't really do anything to change any of that." Adam pointed out. "Maybe if I had the power to go back in time, but I can't change the past."

"No, you can't." Lorelai nodded. "I can't either." She sighed. "Adam, I know this may not be the time, but I want to apologize to you. I should have been more supportive and done more to help you. It was wrong for me to let you go. I'm really sorry and I hope you'll be able to forgive me at some point."

Adam sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You reacted in the moment to a less than ideal situation. I didn't exactly listen to reason or your advice, so I can't really blame you."

"Adam, it's not just my reaction, but my lack of actions. I should have gone beyond my emotional reaction on the surface and just loved you. I love you and that's the most important thing. It was incredibly selfish of me to push you away. I focused on my own self more than I focused on you and I'm very sorry for that."

"Ok." Adam nodded. "I understood your reaction, it's Dad's that I really have a problem with."

"There is a lot of stuff between the two of you." Lorelai sighed. "Please remember that your Dad loves you and really does care about you. I would love to see you two work things out soon, but I'm not going to push you together if you don't want me to. It's just hard for me to see two people that I love a lot being so stubborn and hurting each other."

"I'm not ready to deal with him right now." Adam insisted. "I have to focus on my boys."

"Ok, I can respect that." Lorelai nodded. "Do you know when you'll get to take them home?"

"Not for sure. They only weigh four pounds, so they need to gain some weight and grow a bit first. I hope it's not too long, but I don't want to take them home before they're ready."

"I know that you are more than capable to taking care of them, but I'd like to offer help, if you want it. Just let me know and I'll be here as much as you need me."

"Thanks." Adam sighed. "I'll probably need all the help I can get. It's going to be hard to take care of two newborns and try to work."

"Do you have to go back to work right away? I thought you were working for Megan's family? They won't let you have any time off?"

"Well, we don't have health insurance, so I have no idea how I'm going to pay for all this. It will probably take me years to pay it all off." Adam sighed. "I'd like to take time off from the family farm, but it's better if I work as much as possible to try and generate more income to pay these bills."

"Your Dad and I can help with the medical bills. We'd be happy to do it."

"It's my responsibility."

"Maybe, but we can make it a little easier on you. If you pay it all on your own according to the hospital's payment schedule, you'll probably have to work two or three jobs just to make it all work. I would rather help you pay those bills so you can spend more time with your babies."

"I appreciate the offer, Mom, but I need to take care of this."

"Ok, but the offer stands." Lorelai shrugged before changing the subject. "So, you and Megan gave the boys their Grandfathers' first names as middle names?"

"Yeah, Megan really wanted to use her Dad's name, Paul, as a middle name. When the boys were born, we didn't have a middle name for Graham yet, so Megan suggested Lucas. It's a nice idea, I guess."

"It's a great idea. The boys will appreciate it when they are older. Plus, you and Graham share a middle name now."

"Yeah. Sort of like a family tradition, I guess." Adam shrugged. "We should probably get back to the hospital."

"Sure, you probably need to check in. Is it ok if I stop by and see Megan?" Lorelai asked. "I realize that I don't really know her, but I'd like to say 'hi'."

"I think she would appreciate that." Adam said and stood up from the table to lead the way back to the hospital.

_To be continued…._


	50. Chapter 50

Lorelai followed Adam as he led the way to Megan's hospital room. She hesitated in the doorway as Adam went over to Megan's bed and kissed her forehead.

"Megan, you remember my Mom, Lorelai, right?"

"Hi Lorelai. Nice to see you again." Megan smiled.

"Hi Megan." Lorelai smiled and walked further into the room to stand at the foot of Megan's bed. "Congratulations on the boys. They're very handsome."

"Yes, they are. Just like their Dad." Megan agreed. "Lorelai, this is my Mom, Holly." She said and gestured to her Mother sitting in a chair next to the bed.

"Hi Holly, I'm Lorelai Danes."

"Nice to meet you Lorelai." Holly said as she stood up and shook Lorelai's hand.

"Have you seen those cute boys downstairs?" Lorelai smiled.

"Yes, they're very cute." Holly agreed. "Very little, but cute."

"How are you feeling Megan?" Lorelai asked.

"Exhausted" Megan sighed.

"I bet." Lorelai nodded.

"Lorelai" Holly interrupted. "Do you mind if we chat out in the hall for a second?"

"Sure" Lorelai agreed and started to follow Holly out of the room. She turned and frowned at Adam to see if he knew what this was about, but Adam just shrugged as Lorelai left the room.

"Sorry to be so abrupt in there, but I didn't want to keep beating around the bush." Holly said. "Let's walk down to the waiting area down the hall and have a seat." She said and led the way before sitting down opposite of Lorelai.

"How has Adam been doing?" Lorelai asked anxiously. "I've been trying to get a hold of him for months now. It's really good to finally see him."

"He's been ok." Holly answered. "I'm still getting to know him, but he seems like a hard working responsible young man. He's been working really hard on the farm, which is very helpful."

"That's what I've heard. You and your husband own the farm?"

"Yes, my husband, Paul, grew up on the farm and took it over full time when his Father retired. I went to high school with Paul and we got married shortly after we graduated. Five years later our Son, Michael, was born and then five years after that we had Megan. Paul and I have always tried to find a balance between working the family farm and raising the kids. Michael works on the farm with Paul now, but Megan has never wanted anything to do with it. She's always been a little wild and rebellious, but we thought she'd eventually settle down and find a career that she loved."

"You never thought she'd come home pregnant and married at age eighteen."

"Exactly." Holly nodded. "It's not that we have anything against Adam. We think he's a great guy." Holly assured Lorelai. "It's just that they're both so young and have no idea what they've gotten themselves into."

"I agree." Lorelai nodded. "Adam's Dad and I were not very pleased either when we found out what happened. We don't know Megan, so we have nothing against her, it's just that we're really upset that Adam acted so irresponsibly. We thought we'd raised him better than that."

"That's how Paul and I felt about Megan." Holly agreed. "However, what's done is done. It's not going to do any good to go back and re-hash the past. Paul and I feel like we just have to help them move forward now."

"I agree. I can't say that my husband is on board with that, but he'll come around eventually. I want to do whatever it takes to help Adam." Lorelai insisted. "I was talking to him earlier and he is really concerned about the babies' medical bills. I want to offer help with that. I realize that Adam wants to pay them himself, but I would like to help pay them. Adam and Megan are young and shouldn't have to struggle with those huge bills if they don't have to. Just send me the bills and I'll take care of them."

"That's a great offer Lorelai, but that's not how we do things in our family." Holly insisted. "We don't take handouts from anyone and we pay all our bills. We can deal with this."

"Ok, but this isn't a handout. Adam is my Son and I want to help him."

"You're not helping him by dumping a bunch of money in his lap. It's much better if he learns to support himself. Our family isn't rich, so we don't do things like that."

Lorelai couldn't help but be slightly insulted, but she took a deep breath before getting too upset. "Holly, I don't really know you and you don't really know me either. The Danes family has never been wealthy. I grew up in a wealthy household, but was not wealthy myself and I never took money from my parents. They knew I didn't want their money, so they left the majority of their money to the kids for college. Luke and I got some, but we just used it to pay off our house and add to retirement accounts. I don't think that makes us wealthy at all. We pay our bills and provide for our family. We each own a business that we built from the ground up. We know what hard work is."

"Good for you then." Holly nodded. "You understand what we're trying to teach our kids then. We just want them to stand on their own."

"That's great, but don't you think you're being a bit harsh about it?"

"This is something they really need to deal with together and on their own. They'll figure it out and they'll be stronger for it in the long run." Holly insisted. "We've already helped them by giving Adam a job on the farm."

"So, that's it? Just throw them in the water and hope they swim?" Lorelai asked. "I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree."

"I guess." Holly nodded. "Anyway, they can continue to live with us and we'll help them with the boys. You and your family are welcome to come visit, but check with Adam and Megan first. I know you haven't always agreed, so I don't want any drama at the house."

"We wouldn't cause any trouble."

"Glad we're on the same page." Holly said firmly. "Look, I know I probably sound like a total hard ass, but I'm just trying to do what's right for Megan and the boys."

"And I'm just trying to do what's right for Adam."

"I know you are."

"We should probably get back there." Lorelai said and gestured down the hallway. She and Holly quickly made it back to Megan's room and each found a chair to sit in. "Can I get you anything, Megan?" Lorelai asked.

"I could use a drink." Megan joked as her Mother glared at her. "Lighten up a little Mom."

"Now Megan, you know I don't like it when you joke like that. All that drinking and partying is what got you into this mess in the first place." Holly sighed.

"I really wish you'd stop calling this a mess." Megan sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's not idea, but it is what it is. Things could have turned out a hell of a lot worse than they are. Adam and I are married now and we care a lot about each other. We have two little boys who may be very little, but they're strong and they're fighters. They're going to be ok and we're all going to be a family; together. I'm sorry that I didn't follow the precious little plan you had for my life, but you're going to have to get over it." Megan said firmly.

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." Holly insisted.

"Maybe not, but it's my life and I get to deal with it. You can have your opinions, but you have to let me live."

"Why don't we all just calm down a little." Adam suggested as he took Megan's hand in his and sat on the edge of her bed. "There's no need for all of us to get upset. How about we focus on Daniel and Graham instead."

"Good idea." Lorelai nodded. She was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable with the tension in the room and was also having flash backs to arguments between herself and her own Mother so many years ago. "I'm going to go check on them and hold them again."

"I'll go with you." Adam nodded before kissing Megan's forehead and following Lorelai out of the room.

"Do they always argue like that?" Lorelai asked when they'd walked down the hall.

"Not always, but once in a while." Adam answered. "It's really awkward to be around them when they're like that. I have no idea what to say to either of them."

XXXXX

Luke stood at the window of the NICU staring into the room, trying to see his Grandsons. He must have been standing there a while because a nurse came by and asked if he belonged to any of the babies in there. He told her that he had two new Grandsons in there and she asked if he wanted to go in and see them. Luke nodded and followed her, put on the protective gown she offered, and followed her to where the boys were. The nurse watched him for a minute, but eventually left him alone with the boys. Luke looked at both of them for a minute before slowly and carefully picking up Graham.

"Hi Graham." Luke whispered as he sat in a rocking chair and cradled the little baby. "I'm your Grandpa Luke. I guess your middle name is Lucas, so we have something in common." He said before Graham started to cry. Luke did his best to sooth the little guy, but was unsuccessful until a nurse came over and handed him a bottle.

"Thanks" Luke nodded.

"You're welcome. That little one likes to eat a lot." The nurse smiled. "His brother is much more particular. He only wants to eat at certain times of the day. Little Graham will eat whenever you give him a bottle." She smiled before walking away.

Luke also smiled at the different personalities that were already developing in the boys. He adjusted Graham in his arms and inserted the bottle into his mouth before Graham began to eat. "Whoa, you are an eater." Luke noticed as Graham ate. "You must have inherited the Gilmore genes. You know, your Dad got a lot of the Gilmore genes, so that's a good thing. His older brothers, your Uncles, are a lot more like me and the Danes side of the family. Maybe that's why your Dad and I don't get along so well these days. I haven't really met Daniel yet, but if he's more like a Danes and you're more like a Gilmore, promise me that you won't fight with each other. There are good things from both families, you just have to listen to each other and remember that no matter what happens you love each other."

As Luke was enjoying getting to know Graham, Daniel started to cry from his crib. Luke looked at him and then at an approaching nurse.

"He's probably just ready to eat." She said and picked up the crying baby while holding a bottle for him. "Would you like to feed him? I can finish up with Graham."

"I can feed them both." Luke said. "I've got experience with twins. Their Dad, my Son, is a twin."

"Ok" She said hesitantly and helped Luke adjust the boys in his arms and place bottles into their mouths. "Just shout if you need any help." She said and walked away.

As Luke was finishing up feeding the boys, Adam walked into the NICU and frowned when he saw his Dad holding his Sons.

"What are you doing?" He asked before taking Daniel away from Luke and putting him back in his crib.

"I'm just holding them. What's the big deal?" Luke asked.

"I don't want you sneaking around behind my back and trying to get to my kids. I don't want you here and I don't want you around them." Adam insisted as he also took Graham away from Luke and carefully placed him in his crib. "I don't want to have it out in here. Follow me into the hallway." Adam insisted.

Luke complied and crossed his arms over his chest as he and Adam stood in the hallway facing each other. Lorelai had been with Adam, but was waiting in the hallway as they stared each other down. She looked like she was completely torn on what to do, so she just watched helplessly.

"You need to stay away from them." Adam said sternly.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong, Adam. I just wanted to meet my Grandsons." Luke said calmly. "I didn't hurt them."

"Not yet at least." Adam spat back. "I'd prefer if you'd just stay out of their lives."

"Why? Because you're mad at me?"

"Because you turned your back on me!" Adam shouted. "You can't just pretend I'm not your Son and then expect to have to perfect relationship with my kids. You can't bypass me!"

"Adam, I'm sorry, but that's not what happened." Luke tried to explain.

"No, just leave." Adam insisted and clenched his jaw. "Just go back to Stars Hollow and your perfect Sons and leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with you!"

"You don't really mean that, Adam." Luke sighed.

"Yes I do! Get the hell out of here and don't come back!" Adam yelled before Lorelai stepped between them. Adam glared at Luke before turned and walking away.

"Are you ok?" Lorelai asked Luke as he stood there in shock.

"Not really." Luke mumbled. "I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"I know." Lorelai said. "Let's get out of here and go somewhere more private where we can talk."


	51. Chapter 51

Luke and Lorelai sat in the car silently after leaving the hospital. They had decided to leave after Adam's blow up at Luke, but were still in the parking lot trying to figure out what to do next.

"What are you thinking?" Lorelai turned and asked Luke. He was sitting in the passenger seat looking at the floor with his fists clenched. He looked like he was barely holding his emotions in check.

Luke nodded as he tried to figure out what to say. Lorelai quickly put her hand on his shoulder as a way of telling him to take his time. "I…don't…" Luke began. "I don't know what to say. I…didn't realize Adam was that upset…hurt."

Lorelai was about to open her mouth and speak her mind, but she saw how hard Luke was trying to process this quickly, so she backed off and continued to rub his shoulder.

"I didn't intend…" Luke continued. "to hurt him like that. I'm hard on him _because_ I love him. I didn't think he'd still be irritated with me."

"Luke" Lorelai breathed before removing her hand from his shoulder and taking her hand in his. "Luke, Adam's feelings are hurt. He might not say it, but he loves you and greatly values your opinion. That's why he's still upset. He felt like you turned your back on him and that you're disappointed in him."

"I don't agree with his choices, but-"

"I know you don't. Neither do I, but I'm not going to let that get in the way of having a relationship with Adam. If it's between being right and seeing Adam, I'm always going to pick Adam. I realized over the last couple months that I just want to see Adam, no matter what. I'm going to swallow my pride and just love him."

"How can I do that now? Adam hates me."

"He doesn't hate you." Lorelai insisted. "I don't want us to have a relationship with Adam like my parents had with me. I'm seeing myself turning into my Mother and I totally hate it." Lorelai explained. "When I was upstairs with Adam, I met Megan's Mom. She seems like a good person, but is totally controlling and stubborn; an Emily Gilmore copy. It was all I could do to stay in the moment and not have a crazy flashback to when I was in the hospital having Rory. I really don't want to do that to Adam. Sure, he's made a big mistake; he knows that deep down. We need to just love him and help him develop into a great Dad. Heck, he's still becoming a Man. How can we help him and not just be upset and contribute to the drama."

"He's not going to listen to anything I have to say now."

"You don't know that for sure. I have to believe that if we love him and offer our support that we'll eventually have him back."

"So, I should apologize?"

"That would probably be a good start."

"What if he won't listen?"

"Luke" Lorelai sighed. "You can't be afraid of him. Just 'man up' and say that you're sorry for how you acted. Tell him it wasn't right for you to say those things and that you'll always love him no matter what. Tell him you're proud of him for stepping up and taking responsibility for his boys. Heck, tell him you're proud of those little boys."

"Ok" Luke nodded. "Did you hold them?" He said and smirked.

"Yes" Lorelai smiled.

"Pretty amazing little guys." Luke smiled. "I fed them. Graham is such an eater! Must be the Gilmore genes in him."

"Hey!" Lorelai protested.

"Just sayin'." Luke shrugged. "They both look like Adam. It's amazing."

"It is." Lorelai agreed. "I'm finally getting all those Grandkids I wanted. Let's make sure we get to see them all grow up. I missed Ben and Catie growing up and I really don't want to repeat that. I'd give anything to go back and change things with Rory. Now that I've got that chance with Adam, I don't want to let it go."

"Ok" Luke nodded. "We'll figure something out. I'll try and talk to Adam."

"Thank you."

XXXXX

"Morning" Joel smiled as he entered the kitchen and saw Rory leaning against the counter, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning" Rory nodded as Joel stood in front of her before kissing her. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please." Joel smiled before stealing her cup and finishing off the last sip.

"Hey!" Rory protested before grabbing the front of Joel's shirt and pulling him closer. "You're going to have to make that up to me."

"Ok" Joel quickly agreed and set the coffee cup aside. He grinned before lifting Rory up onto the counter, causing her to squeal in surprise, before he attacked her neck with kisses. One of his hands slipped under her shirt and up her back as the other held one of her thighs as she wrapped her legs around Joel's waist.

"Good Morning!" Lorelai called chipperly as she bounced into the house, but yelped in surprise when she saw Joel and Rory.

Joel froze and leaned his forehead against Rory's shoulder. "Your Mother has horrible timing." He groaned.

"Hi Mom. Good Morning." Rory said and smiled nervously.

"Apparently, it's a very good morning." Lorelai laughed before Joel began to turn red and buried his face in Rory's shirt.

"We can't even get some privacy in our own house." Joel sighed.

"Should I leave?" Lorelai asked.

"Just give us a minute." Joel said and looked up sheepishly.

"I'll be in the living room." Lorelai said and quickly exited the room.

Joel groaned and stepped back from the counter as Rory hopped down. She smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Hey! I hear kissing! I didn't leave so you could finish." Lorelai yelled from the living room.

"She never lets me have any fun." Rory pouted playfully.

"You've had enough fun." Joel smirked and playfully smacked Rory's butt.

"Hey" Rory hit his shoulder. "Behave yourself."

"Too late." Joel smirked before beginning to tickle her as she giggled and ran out of the kitchen. Rory stopped when she saw Lorelai sitting on the couch with her hands over her ears and her eyes shut.

"Mom" Rory whined and walked over to her Mom and pulled her hands away from her eyes. "Mom, seriously?"

"I didn't want to hear any of that." Lorelai said firmly. "It's really gross."

"It's like being around a five year old." Rory said to Joel and rolled her eyes.

"Well, you two are constantly going at it. It is gross!" Lorelai protested.

"Oh yeah, and you and Luke never ever do it." Rory countered. "You have six kids, so I know they came from somewhere…"

"Ok, fine…they're adopted."

"Yeah right. They all look way too much like you and Luke for that to even be possible."

"And we've now become children…" Joel sighed before turning around and going back into the kitchen.

"He can only take so much of us, can't he?" Lorelai smiled.

"Yup." Rory nodded and sat down on the couch next to her Mom. "So, how's your morning going so far?"

"Good. It would be better with a cup of coffee…" Lorelai joked. To her surprise Joel was already on his way with a cup of coffee for her and Rory. "Thanks. You're my favorite Son-in-law." Lorelai smiled.

"I'm your only Son-in-law." Joel rolled his eyes and left.

"You trained him well." Lorelai noted after she sipped the coffee.

"Actually, I didn't have to train him to make coffee or bring it to me. He came that way."

"Lucky." Lorelai sighed.

"Yes, very." Rory agreed. "So…you and Luke have been back since last night. How did it go with Adam? Did you see the babies?"

"It was mostly good." Lorelai hesitated. "Adam seemed really surprised to see us, but he was ok with me being there. I got to hold the babies. He was not happy to see Luke, so that was bad."

"They fought?"

"Yup, right outside the NICU. Right when we got there, Adam told Luke he didn't want to see him and told him to leave. Later, Adam and I were on our way back from visiting Megan and we found Luke holding the babies in the NICU. Adam went ballistic and took the kids away from Luke and started yelling at him out in the hallway. It was awful."

"That sounds bad."

"Yeah, I feel bad about it. I'm torn because I love both of them, but they're not acting like they love each other. Luke seemed really surprised that Adam was that upset with him. At the same time, I can relate to Adam and understand why he's upset. I think Adam was really hurt by how Luke treated him in the past. It seems like Adam is really afraid of letting Luke get close to him and getting hurt again."

"That's tough."

"Reminds me of the relationship I used to have with my Mother, which really breaks my heart. Adam has always been more sensitive than his older brothers, but that's what I love about him. It would break my heart if that led to a split in our family."

"So, what are you going to do?" Rory wondered. "Are you still going to try and stay in contact with Adam even though he and Luke are fighting?"

"Of course, I want to stay in contact with Adam. I just don't know how receptive he'll be to me. Adam is an adult and he doesn't have to talk to me if he doesn't want to. He's not a child that I can just drag home kicking and screaming."

"But you could also lose him."

"Which is what I'm afraid of." Lorelai sighed before putting her hands over her face. "I don't know what to do, Rory."

"I think you did a good thing by going and seeing Adam. He might not have been super pleased to see Luke, but he won't be upset about that forever. He'll come around. Just give him a little time to cool off and settle into a routine with the boys." Rory suggested.

"Ok, I guess I can do that. I hate waiting around, but it's probably better than pushing him and driving him further away." Lorelai agreed.

"Adam posted a few pictures to Facebook last night. There is a really great one of you holding the boys." Rory said and quickly retrieved her cell phone to share the pictures. "Look" Rory said as she returned.

"That is a great picture." Lorelai agreed as she looked at the image of herself holding her newest Grandsons for the first time. "Hey, Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"Luke keeps asking me what he should do to let Adam know that he's sorry." Lorelai said hesitantly. "I know parents aren't supposed to rely on their kids for advice, but I think you're old enough to handle this and you sort of have some experience with it. When we were apart, was there any point early on where it would have made a difference if I'd made more of an attempt to contact you?"

Rory sighed and thought for a moment. "Well, I don't know. It honestly took me a few years to get over being upset about it all. I know that it sounds childish, but that's how I felt. Before Joel and I got married, he sat me down one night and wanted to have a serious conversation about you. I'd told him our history, but he wanted to hear the real story and understand it more before we were married. He asked if there was anything he could do to fix it or bring us back together. At the time I was a little irritated that he thought I wasn't dealing with it well enough on my own. Eventually though, he showed me that he was genuinely concerned for me and didn't want me to miss out on having you at our wedding. I made my choice at the time and thought it was right, but of course I regret it now. Maybe if I'd let Joel contact you, you would have come to my wedding and we wouldn't have had that stupid distance for way too many years. I was too full of pride to even consider reaching out at that point in my life. Of course, over the years, I wanted to reach out several times, but it was too hard at that point." Rory explained. "I know Adam's situation is different. You've tried to reach out and Adam's shown that he's still hurt and upset. As hard as it may be, I think you need to just keep calling, sending letters, emails, anything. Don't go all crazy with it, but keep trying on a consistent basis. Luke should write a letter and apologize to Adam. I think that will mean a lot to Adam. He might not be receptive right away, but he'll see that Luke truly is sorry and wants to change things."

"Luke is sick about all this."

"Is he?" Rory wondered. "He has seemed pretty calloused about it until recently."

"He loves Adam."

"I'm not doubting that Luke loves him." Rory clarified. "I just don't see Luke wanting to step down from his stance on the situation."

"Well…"

"I'm not saying that Luke needs to go crawling on his knees to Adam, but he can't just cross his arms and expect change. Luke has to be part of the change."

"That's not going to be easy, Rory."

"Probably not." Rory agreed. "But, it's going to have to happen or nothing will ever change between Luke and Adam."

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts and suggestions. **


	52. Chapter 52

**AN: Sorry for my delay in updating. Life has been a little busy and I'm trying to get back into writing this story and my other story (Luke's Surprise). Please review and let me know if you have any ideas for where this story should go.**

Luke walked into his and Lorelai's bedroom with a notepad in his hand and stopped next to the bed where Lorelai was reading a book.

"I'm done." Luke said and handed her the notepad.

"With what?" Lorelai asked as she put her book down and frowned at the notepad.

"The letter to Adam you said I should write."

"Oh" Lorelai frowned again.

"Can you take a look at it and see if it works?" Luke asked.

"Sure." Lorelai nodded and began reading the letter as Luke watched her. "It's hard to concentrate when you're staring at me like that."

"Sorry" Luke shrugged and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He returned a minute later as Lorelai was finishing making a note at the bottom of the last page.

"It's pretty good overall." Lorelai told him. "I underlined a couple sentences that you might want to re-word, but overall it's good. You clearly state your feelings and apologize for how you acted in the past. I like how you suggest a plan to work through this and stay in contact."

"You don't think it's cheesy or corny?"

"No, not at all." Lorelai assured him. "You and Adam have a tough time communicating, so writing a letter is a good way to say everything clearly, but without getting upset. Hopefully Adam will follow up on your suggestion to write letters back and forth for a while. I think it will help both of you get everything out. I'm proud of you for taking the first step, Luke."

"Thanks." Luke nodded. "I'll make the changes and put the letter in the mail tomorrow."

"Good." Lorelai nodded and set the notepad on the nightstand. "Now come get in bed and snuggle with me." She smiled as Luke rolled his eyes, but quickly changed his clothes and complied with her request. Lorelai sighed as she rested comfortably with her head on Luke's chest. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do." Luke assured her. "What makes you say that?"

"Just the disagreements we've had recently and all the family drama. I haven't been as nice or understanding as I should have been at times. I love you and I want to make sure you know that."

"I know." Luke said and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, Lorelai. As you know, I'm a bit of an old stick in the mud sometimes. I appreciate that you love me enough to tell me when to snap out of it."

"Love you, Lucas." Lorelai smiled and snuggled closer as Luke wrapped his arms around her tighter before they both drifted off to sleep.

XXXXX

Catherine smiled as she watched Jeremy hold their Son while sitting on the living room couch. She walked over and sat next to Jeremy as he smiled at her.

"He's falling asleep." Jeremy said.

"He is." Catherine agreed as Nate yawned. After a few minutes, Nate was fast asleep in his father's arms and Catherine slowly leaned against his shoulder while she starred at their now three month old baby.

"Who would have ever thought that you and I would have such a handsome little guy, huh?"

"Well" Catherine sighed while trying to control her feelings. "At one time I did."

"Oh" Jeremy said after realizing what he'd just said. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. It's just hard because a part of me still believes in us." Catherine admitted quietly.

"Really? You still think we can be together and have a family?"

"Maybe." Catherine admitted. "I don't think it will be anytime soon though. We've been through a lot Jer."

"I know and I'm so sorry." Jeremy said and wrapped an arm around her as she continued to lean against him. "I really have changed, Catie. I want you to see that and feel like you can trust me again."

"It may take some time before I can completely trust you. I'm sorry if that sounds horrible, but things were really rough, Jeremy. I realize that you were not yourself, but you hurt me and put me in the hospital. That doesn't just go away overnight."

"I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. I care a lot about you, Catie and I never ever want to hurt you again. I love Nate and I'm so happy we have him. I'm going to prove I can be a good Dad." Jeremy said honestly.

"Ok, thanks for being honest, Jeremy." Catherine nodded. "Looks like Nate is out for a while. We should probably take him upstairs to his crib."

"Ok, I've got him." Jeremy nodded before Catherine moved away from him and he stood up and walked up the stairs to the nursery.

Catherine bit her lower lip and crossed her arms as she fought the feeling to run upstairs after Jeremy. She was still feeling torn as to whether or not she wanted to give him another chance. As the months went on and she watched Jeremy with Nate, she felt herself slowly falling for Jeremy all over again. Against her better judgment, Catherine uncrossed her arms and slowly ascended the stairs and walked to the nursery. She found Jeremy staring at Nate as he slept peacefully in his crib.

"Hey" Jeremy smiled and slid his arm around her waist as she stood next to him. "He's so peaceful when he sleeps."

"Until he starts screaming." Catherine joked.

Jeremy smiled and suddenly leaning forward and kissed her. He pulled back for a moment before looking into her eyes and kissing her again, this time more passionately. Catherine didn't protest, but she wasn't quite as enthusiastic as Jeremy. After their lips parted, Jeremy looked at Catherine for a sign to continue, but Catherine stepped back and shook her head.

"We can't." She said.

"Why not?"

"Because we'd both regret it."

"But I still care about you." Jeremy said and hoped he still had a shot tonight.

Catherine smiled softly before looking down at Nate in his crib and back up at Jeremy. "Sorry Jer. I care about you too, but I just can't do this."

"Ok" Jeremy sighed. He started to turn around before Catherine stopped him.

"Where are you going? I didn't say you had to leave."

"I don't think I'll be able to stop myself if I stay. Sorry to cut the evening short, but I'm going to respect your decision. In order to do that I need to go back to my place." He explained. "I'll be back tomorrow night to spend some time with Nate."

"Ok, thanks. See you tomorrow." Catherine nodded as Jeremy left. "Your Daddy has certainly changed." She whispered to Nate before kissing his head and leaving the nursery.

Catherine walked back downstairs and locked the front door before going to find her cell phone. She noticed a text message from Jenny and began texting about what had just happened with Jeremy.

_I'll be right over_. Jenny texted back immediately.

"Great. Just what I wanted to do tonight; talk about my complicated relationship with my ex-husband." Catherine sighed. She set her phone down and went into the kitchen to make two cups of tea before Jenny was soon knocking at the front door. Catherine set the cups down in the living room and went to answer the front door.

"Oh my gosh, tell me everything." Jenny said as she buzzed through the front door and into the house.

"Did you run here?" Catherine laughed. "Is someone watching Evie?"

"Sam's home with her and she's sleeping. We need to discuss this." Jenny insisted.

"I made tea, so let's go sit in the living room and chat."

"Thanks." Jenny nodded before following Catherine into the living room and sitting next to her on the couch. "Ok, spill. Start with the part where you and Jeremy were about to get it on."

"Jenny!" Catherine laughed. "We just kissed."

"There is no way that you and Jeremy just kissed. You two have way too much history and emotional baggage to 'just kiss'."

"He wanted more" Catherine sighed. "And I guess I did too, but I knew I'd regret it."

"I see. Do you want to get back together with him?"

"I don't know." Catherine sighed. "I do, but I don't."

"In other words…it continues to be complicated?"

"Exactly." Catherine nodded. "I mean, Jeremy is Nate's father. We have a special connection that will never just go away. I think I'll always love Jeremy and he'll hold a special place in my heart. Does that mean I get in another relationship with him? I don't know."

"Maybe you should give it a little time. Let your emotions and attractions settle a bit before you jump into bed together."

"Jenny!" Catherine scoffed.

"Well, I'm sorry, but it needs to be said." Jenny shrugged. "That's how you two got into trouble in the first place. Think about that for a minute. Maybe Jeremy really has changed and will never be the ugly person he used to be. I don't know him as well as you do, but I don't think he'll change that much in the long run. He's doing well now, but is it sustainable?"

"I think so." Catherine nodded. "He's becoming the man I always knew he was capable of being."

"Ok, that's up to. I just don't ever want you to forget how much he hurt you."

"That would be hard to forget."

"Ok" Jenny agreed. "So, you'll think about it more before rushing into anything?"

"I will"

"Good."

"So, what's new with you? Any juicy gossip?" Catherine smiled and changed the subject.

"Yeah, sort of." Jenny smiled.

"Spill, Jenny. You can't keep a secret with a smile like that."

"Well, I don't know if I should share yet or not." Jenny hesitated. "It's new and I'm still getting used to it myself."

Catherine frowned as she tried to figure out what Jenny was talking about. "Huh? What's the deal? Is it bad?"

"It's definitely not bad." Jenny answered as she continued to smile slyly. "I'm pregnant."

"What? Oh my gosh!" Catherine exclaimed before quickly hugging Jenny. "That's great news! Wow. Evie's how old; five months?"

"Yes, five months." Jenny nodded.

"Is this a surprise then or was it planned?"

"A little of both." Jenny explained. "Sam and I had been discussing having another baby, but we were just starting to discuss it, so this is sooner than planned, but still planned. That probably doesn't make much sense, sorry."

"No, I get that." Catherine nodded. "Wow. Another baby. What did Sam say?"

"I haven't told him yet." Jenny said. "I've been feeling kind of sick the past couple weeks, but didn't really think much of it. I had a regular appointment with my OB/GYN this morning and found out then. I'm two months along, so it's still pretty early. I was going to tell Sam when he got home from work, but he was enjoying his time with Evie so much that I didn't want to distract him."

"Sam sure loves that little girl." Catherine smiled.

"He does." Jenny agreed.

"So, you're going to tell him or wait?"

"I'm still kind of in shock, but I'm going to tell him soon. Either tonight when I get back or tomorrow. Please keep the news to yourself until I give you the 'all clear'."

"Of course. You're secret is safe with me."

"Thanks."

"Wow. Another baby. Wow."

"Yeah" Jenny smiled and nodded. "It's going to be crazy. Fortunately, I've only got one semester of school left and Sam is about to be promoted to assistant manager at his work. I freaked out a little at first, but I quickly realized that it's going to be just fine. Better than fine actually; it's going to be great. Evie's going to be a big sister and we're going to have another little one in our family."

"It is going to be great. You and Sam are awesome parents."

"Thanks, Catie."

"Thank you. I appreciate having someone to talk to about the craziness with Jeremy. You always tell it to me straight, but don't judge me. Thank you."

"Anytime." Jenny nodded.


	53. Chapter 53

_A few weeks later…_

Adam was watching TV in the living room of Megan's parents' house as she waltzed in with a stack of mail in her hand.

"Babe, you got something from Stars Hollow." Megan said and waved it near Adam's face.

He took the letter and sighed before opening it and frowning. "It's from my Dad."

"Really? What does it say?" Megan wondered as she sat down on the couch next to Adam.

"Just a second." Adam said as he read the letter. After he finished, he sighed and handed the letter to Megan. "My Dad says he's sorry and wants to work on our relationship."

"What do you think about that?"

"I think its total crap." Adam huffed. "He doesn't really mean any of that bull shit. He's just trying to make Mom happy."

"You don't think any of this is sincere?" Megan asked.

"Nope." Adam insisted. "He is going to keep pulling the same old crap until I comply with his wishes. I'd rather just forget about it and stay here with you."

"Are you sure, Adam? That seems a little harsh?"

"You don't really know my Dad, Megan. He just doesn't like me very much. I'm not like him, so he has no interest in me. He practically worships Patrick because they're so much alike. He and Sam go fishing and do super manly stuff together all the time. Will is running Stars Hollow and Jonathan works at the diner when he's not in school. I just don't fit into that. Abby doesn't either, but she's a girl, so it's ok. My Dad doesn't expect Abby to be like him, but he expects me to. I'm really not that much different or unmanly."

"You're definitely a manly man." Megan joked before holding his hand. "It sounds like you just express yourself differently and enjoy different things. There is nothing wrong with that."

"Thank you. No, their certainly isn't. I wish my Dad would see that."

"Maybe you should try to make him see it. Maybe if you try talking to him or writing him a letter, he'll be more receptive to it."

"I doubt that." Adam sighed. "Sorry, but I don't really want to talk about it anymore. Maybe a little later after I calm down."

"Ok, that's fine." Megan assured him.

"Are the boys still sleeping?"

"Yeah, I think so. I haven't heard them crying."

"I'm going to go check on them." He said before getting up and walking to the boys' bedroom. They were currently sleeping in the same crib until they grew a bit more and got used to being separated. He noticed Graham's eyes open and a smile form as the little guy saw his Dad. "Hey buddy." Adam smiled and picked him up. "How was your nap? Did you get some good sleep?" He asked and walked over to the rocking chair before sitting down and cuddling with his Son. "Remember that I'll always love you, ok? You can be whoever you want to be and I'll still love you. You can be butch like your Grandpa, more like me, or completely different. I'll love you no matter what. You might have to explain what you're doing so your old Dad can understand, but I'll be more than willing to listen to you. The same goes for your brother. Always."

Graham seemed to be listening to what his Father was saying, but soon began to cry. Daniel soon began to join his brother in making a fuss as Adam tried to soothe them.

"What did you do to them?" Megan joked as she walked into the room and picked Daniel up from the crib. "I think they must be ready for another bottle."

"For being so little, these guys certainly eat a lot." Adam joked as he stood up and followed Megan into their bedroom. "Who do you want to feed first?"

"Daniel, since I've got him." Megan said and began to breastfeed him. "Graham went first last time, so he'll have to wait his turn."

"Sorry buddy, but we have to teach you to share." Adam joked and tried to soothe his still crying Son. "It'll only be a couple minutes, I know you can wait that long."

"Graham always wants to be first when it comes to eating." Megan laughed. "I think he got that trait from his Dad."

"Probably" Adam agreed. "And I got it from my Mom and her side of the family. What can I say? We like to eat."

"It's better than having really picky eaters."

"True" Adam nodded and rubbed Graham's back to sooth him.

"Hey, have you thought about what we're doing for Christmas?" Megan changed the subject.

"Not really. I just assumed we'd do whatever your family's traditions are." Adam shrugged.

"So…we're not going to visit your family at during the holidays?"

"No. Why would we? I just said I didn't want to talk to my Dad. My Dad is in Stars Hollow, so we're not going."

"But don't you think your Mom would like to have us there?"

"I'm sure she'd love it, but I just can't. I don't want to ruin everyone's Christmas by having another fight with my Dad. I think it's best that we stay here this year. Let's let things calm down a bit before making any plans to visit."

"But it's already been a while and things haven't calmed down. You keep saying things will calm down, but every time you talk with your family or get a letter it just blows back up." Megan pointed out. "I'm not trying to be mean, but I think you need to stop being a kid and just face your family. It's going to be really uncomfortable, but you need to do it. If anything, just do it for the boys."

"I appreciate your opinion, but you need to let me deal with this." Adam insisted. "I'll do it in my own time and in my own way."

"Ok" Megan agreed and shook her head. "Whatever you want, babe."

XXXXX

Rory stood in the living room, cup of coffee in hand, staring at the newly decorated Christmas tree. Joel walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What are you thinking about?" Joel asked.

"Christmas." Rory smiled. "Just thinking about all the memories over the years. Thinking about how blessed we've been to have so many years."

"We certainly have." Joel agreed. "Hopefully we'll have a lot more years together."

"Unless you're thinking of ditching me." Rory joked.

"Not a chance in hell." Joel assured her. "Remember how much fun we had when the kids were little. Watching their faces light up as they saw the presents under the tree."

"I miss those days." Rory sighed.

"So do I, but they'll be here again in a couple years as Nate gets older."

"Another perk of being Grandparents."

"True." Rory agreed.

"I really like Christmas." Joel sighed and hugged her tighter.

"I know you do." Rory smiled. "I really happy everyone is healthy this year and that we have Nate with us. Last year at this time we were in the hospital with Ben."

"That's one of my least favorite Christmas memories." Joel agreed. "Thankfully Ben is healthy this year and we'll have many years of good memories to make up for that. And maybe another memorable Christmas Eve gift from you?" Joel smirked before lowering his hands to the button of her jeans.

"Maybe" Rory grinned and slowly stopped his hands from continuing their journey south. "My Mom is coming over soon. I don't think we want to get caught by her again."

"Yeah, guess not." Joel sighed and untangled his arms from her. "That woman has the worst timing. If I had a dollar for every time she interrupted us…."

"You'd be a rich man." Rory rolled her eyes. "Don't forget that I always more than make it up to you later."

"So I can look forward to a pre-Christmas present tonight?" Joel raised his eyebrows.

"Possibly" Rory smirked. "I swear you're like a teenager sometimes."

"I can't help it!" Joel insisted. "It's your fault for being so darn hot."

"Oh God why do I always walk in when you're having sex." Lorelai groaned and covered her eyes as she walked into the living room.

"We're not having sex; you can uncover your eyes." Rory insisted. "You've never seen that much anyways. You usually walk in before or after, it's not that big of a deal."

"After!" Lorelai groaned. "When did I walk in after? Wait, I don't want to know the answer to that."

"Probably not." Joel nodded. "We should probably work out some sort of a signal though. Might help reduce the scaring factor."

"Locking the door would be a good way." Lorelai noted as she looked around the living room. "I like your tree; very classy."

"Thanks, Joel helped."

"Well, good job."

"Ok, well I'm going over to the Inn to talk to Patrick, so I'll see you two later." Joel nodded before kissing Rory's cheek and leaving the house. "

"We need to talk Christmas plans." Lorelai said as she sat on the couch.

"Joel and I were just talking about that. What are we doing?"

"Technically, we haven't had a real Christmas together for many years. Last year was our first Christmas back together, but Ben was sick, so we didn't really do the traditional Christmas thing. So, I wanted to invite you, Joel, Ben, Catherine, and Nate to join the Danes family for our annual Christmas Bash." Lorelai explained.

"Really?" Rory smiled. "That sounds like fun."

"It's a bit crazy, but we all enjoy ourselves."

"I'll have to talk to everyone, but I'm sure they'd love to join in the festivities."

"It would be really great to have the whole family together." Lorelai said quietly. "Do you think I could ask a favor?"

"Anything" Rory nodded.

"Do you think you could talk to Adam and invite him for Christmas? I miss him a lot and I'd love to have him here, even if it's just for the day." Lorelai said and looked down at the floor. "All the years you were gone…I always hoped at Christmas time something would change. Maybe you'd call or send a card." Lorelai took a deep breath and looked up in Rory's eyes. "I really don't want a repeat of that. I know it will be really awkward and uncomfortable for Adam and Luke, but we need to break the ice. If they don't talk now, I'm afraid we'll lose Adam forever."

Rory nodded and seemed deep in thought for a moment before she answered. "I'll do my best, but no guarantees." Rory said before pausing and frowning. "I was just wondering about something. What did you every Christmas I wasn't around? I not trying to make you feel bad, I'm just curious." Rory asked as Lorelai nodded in understanding.

"Well, the first Christmas was hell. I was a complete basket case of emotion. Of course at that point I was pregnant with Patrick, so that may have contributed a bit. I was angry that you'd left, but really sad at the same time. The second year was somewhat like that, but with less anger. The years got a bit busier as Luke and I had more kids, but I never ever forgot you. Every Christmas night, after the kids had passed out, I'd lay in bed with Luke and talk about you. I'd share memories from when you were little and wonder how you were doing. I cried and laughed, but most of all I just wished that you had a great Christmas wherever you were."

"I did the same thing with Joel. We'd sit up and cuddle together under a blanket on the couch and I'd talk. Joel listened and asked questions, but it was mainly me sharing memories and hoping you were having a good Christmas." Rory said and shook her head. "Now it seems so foolish of me to have stayed away for so long."

"We're getting dangerously close to rehashing this separation thing again. Remember, we are back together now and nothing will keep us apart again." Lorelai insisted. "I love you kiddo."

"I love you too." Rory smiled softly and hugged her Mom tightly.

"So…you'll try to get Adam back?" Lorelai asked hopefully as they stood up and looked at each other.

"Yes"

"Good." Lorelai nodded. "Now let's go to Luke's and get some coffee!"

XXXXX

**AN: Thanks for reading! I know this is short, but I wanted to get an update our. I also wanted to do a Christmas chapter and get it out before the holiday. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! (And please review…pretty please?)**


	54. Chapter 54

**AN: Hello! Here's another update! I realize it's super short, but the next chapter will be long. **

XXXXX

Catherine blinked as she slowly opened her eyes. She tried to roll over in bed, but was shocked to find herself held firmly in place by a man's arm draped over her waist and stomach, his hand resting just under one of her breasts. Catherine frowned and turned to look over her shoulder for confirmation of what she already knew. Jeremy mumbled something in his sleep and tightened his grip on Catherine as she quickly clamped her eyes shut.

Visions of the night before flashed through Catherine's mind as she tried to pretend like nothing had happened; his touch igniting a familiar fire within her, passionate kisses, comfort that had been missing for far too long. _No, no, no!_ Catherine thought to herself until the visual images stopped. She felt conflicted. Her head was screaming at her to jump out of bed and run for her life, but her heart felt safe and secure as Jeremy held her.

Jeremy mumbled something and rubbed his stubble covered cheek against Catherine's shoulder. Catherine frowned at the scratchy feeling and opened her eyes. She looked at the night stand and was thankful to see that the baby monitor was turned on. She hoped Nate would sleep a little longer, but her hopes were quickly dashed when Nate's cries filled the monitor. Catherine started to free herself from Jeremy's grip, but he quickly woke up, opened his eyes, and rolled over.

"hhhmmm?" Jeremy groaned.

"Sorry, Nate's awake." Catherine said.

"I've got it." Jeremy said quickly and got out of bed before pulling his boxers on. "You take care of him every morning. I've got it today."

"Thanks Jer." Catherine smiled and sank back into the bed before Jeremy smiled and left the room. Catherine sighed and listened to Jeremy through the baby monitor as he greeted the baby and began the process of changing his diaper and finding clothes for him to wear.

As much as Catherine's mind was screaming at her stay away from Jeremy, she couldn't help but think that she could get used to waking up like this. Jeremy had been doing really well lately and she really did have hope that he would keep it up. The Jeremy she'd woken up with this morning was the Jeremy she fell in love with and the Jeremy she'd hoped to have a family with. Catherine wasn't sure if she was getting ahead of herself, but maybe, just maybe, things were going to work out. Maybe she and Jeremy could work through their issues and be happy.

Catherine rolled over and buried her head in the pillow as she tried to sort it all out in her head. Maybe she was getting a bit ahead of herself. After all, she and Jeremy had just been incredibly impulsive last night and were really just starting to get along again. As good as Jeremy was being, Catherine couldn't ignore the fact that not too long ago she'd been terrified of him and his dangerous behavior. With Nate in her life now, she couldn't take the chance of him getting hurt.

Jeremy's voice faded from the baby monitor as he went downstairs to feed Nate and Catherine debated going back to sleep, but figured she'd never get to sleep with her mind going crazy. She rolled back over and got out of bed before grabbing clean clothes and quickly going into the bathroom.

She showered and got ready before going downstairs to check on Jeremy and Nate. Catherine smiled when she saw Jeremy leaning against the kitchen counters holding Nate in one arm and drinking a cup of coffee with the other.

"Hi" Catherine said before pouring herself a cup of coffee. "How are my guys?"

"Good." Jeremy nodded. "Nate's happy now that I changed his diaper and fed him breakfast."

"Hi Nate." Catherine said and smiled before kissing her Son's forehead. "Thanks for taking him." She said and looked up into Jeremy's eyes. Before she knew it, Jeremy's arm was around her waist and she was kissing him.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Rory said as she suddenly appeared in the kitchen.

Catherine froze and slowly backed up from Jeremy before turning around to face her Mother. "Hi Mom. I didn't know you were coming into town."

"Clearly." Rory scoffed. "It's Saturday morning. I told you I was coming." Rory informed her daughter coldly. "Now will someone please tell me what's going on here and why Jeremy is standing in my kitchen dressed only in a pair of boxers?"

"Well…." Catherine hesitated before Rory narrowed her eyes. "Let's go talk upstairs."

"Ok" Rory agreed reluctantly before following Catherine upstairs. Catherine was about to lead her Mom into her room to sit and discuss the situation, but figured that was probably not the best the best location. Instead, she directed them to what her Mom called 'The Library'; which was really just a spare bedroom turned into an office and reading room. They sat on in the comfortable reading chairs Rory had selected and waited for each other to say the first thing.

"Mom…I don't really know what to say."

"How about you explain what happened and what Jeremy is doing downstairs. It looks like he slept here last night. Did he?"

"Yes." Catherine admitted.

"So, you slept with him then?"

"Yeah" Catherine nodded and looked at the floor.

"Catherine." Rory sighed. "I know you're an adult and are perfectly capable of making your own decisions, but are you sure you want to be involved with Jeremy again?"

Catherine sighed and attempted to remain calm while expressing her thoughts. "First of all, Jeremy is Nate's Dad; I'm always going to be involved with him on some level. Second of all, I haven't even figured out what last night really was yet. It just sort of happened and I haven't even discussed it with Jer yet."

"I guess I just remember that it wasn't all that long ago that you were in the hospital because he hit you. It would break my heart to see that happen to you again."

"I haven't forgotten and I don't want that to happen either." Catherine assured her. "Jeremy is different now. For one, he's not on drugs or drinking like he was when all that bad stuff happened. He's really responsible now and has grown up a lot. He's back to 'normal' and it just feels like the Jeremy from last night was the same Jeremy I fell in love with. It's hard to just ignore that. When I married Jeremy I didn't plan on any of that bad stuff happening. I just pictured the wonderful future we'd have together. I realize now that I was incredibly naive, but a part of me still wants to have a future with Jeremy."

"You really want to go down that road again?" Rory asked.

"Mom, this is my decision. I really respect you and Dad's thoughts on the matter. However, I don't appreciate the way you're talking to me right now. I'm not a child. I understand how you feel about Jeremy, but don't talk to me in a condescending tone because you don't like him." Catherine said in frustration.

"And you shouldn't write off my advice just because I'm your Mother." Rory countered. "You're a Mom now; you should understand where I'm coming from. I don't want you to get hurt. I'm not trying to ruin your life."

"Then please, let me make my own choices." Catherine stressed. "I don't know what my relationship status is with Jeremy. I'm going to figure that out, but I need to do it on my own."

"Fine" Rory nodded and bit her tongue to keep the argument from escalating.

"Thank you" Catherine sighed. "I'm going to go talk to Jeremy downstairs." She said and walked out of the room. She practically ran into a now fully clothed Jeremy.

"Hey, I think I should probably go." Jeremy said nervously. "I'll call you later, ok?"

"Ok" Catherine nodded before kissing him.

"Nate's in his crib." Jeremy said before walking away and out of the house.

XXXXX

"I just don't know what to do, Joel." Rory huffed as she talked to Joel on her cell phone. "Catherine is sleeping with Jeremy again and it looks like they might get back together."

"Really?"

"Yup. She and I got into an argument about it, which has made this visit nice and awkward."

"I'm not sure what to say." Joel said. "I can't say I'm a fan of Jeremy, but there isn't a whole lot we can do here, Rory."

"We're her parents, Joel. We can do a lot." Rory insisted.

"Yeah, we could, but she's an adult. If she doesn't want to hear it, she doesn't have to. Catherine can run away with Jeremy and then we wouldn't see Nate. Who knows how long they'd be gone. I don't want to experience what your Mom went through when you left. I don't want to have Catherine disappear for twenty-five years." Joel explained. "We've just going to have to bite our tongues, Rory. We have to trust that Catherine will choose the right path."

"Jeremy is not the right path for her." Rory insisted.

"I don't want her to get hurt either." Joel said. "But we can't control Catherine. We've never been those kind of parents. We talked about this before, babe. We have to let Catherine make her own choices, even if we don't agree with her. It's really painful for me to watch, but we have to let her be on her own. If she falls down, we'll pick her up."

"Why do you always have to be so reasonable?" Rory joked.

"I think it's the fact that I'm in Seattle right now." Joel shrugged. "I'd probably have gone ballistic if I'd seen the situation you did. I have the advantage of distance in this case."

"I guess." Rory sighed. "I should probably go. I volunteered to watch Nate for the rest of the day."

"Ok, give him a kiss for me. Love you."

"Love you too." Rory agreed before hanging up her cell phone.


	55. Chapter 55

In late January, Luke's birthday rolled around without anyone saying a word. He had hoped that with everything going on the family would forget and he could have a nice quiet birthday. Little did he know that wasn't going to happen.

"What are you wearing?" Luke said as he walked up to the counter in the Diner to see Rory drinking a cup of coffee and wearing a flannel shirt.

Rory just smiled as Joel walked through the front door and joined her at the counter.

"Coffee please" Joel asked as Luke narrowed his eyes at the flannel shirt Joel was wearing.

"Ok, what is this?" Luke asked as he put his hands on his hips. The bells above the door rang out again and Ben and Catherine entered, wearing flannel shirts. Little Nate was also wearing a flannel shirt and was currently engrossed with trying to chew on the collar. Before Luke could protest, the entire family filtered into the Diner, all wearing flannel shirts, and took seats at various tables. Luke walked out from behind the counter and was greeted by Jacob wobbling over to him, clad in a small flannel shirt.

"Gampa!" Jacob said and reached out as Luke picked him up.

"What are you wearing?" Luke asked the little boy.

Jacob didn't say anything, but reached out and tugged on the collar of Luke's shirt.

"Did your Daddy make you wear that?" Luke asked and smiled as Jacob smiled at him. "You all are crazy." Luke said to his family before noticing Baby Evie wearing a flannel onesie. "Ok, where did you get that?" He asked Jenny.

"I made it!" Lorelai added. "It's your birthday Diner Man and we wanted to celebrate. What better way to show that we love you than dressing like you?"

"Isn't that my shirt?" Luke asked as he looked at the blue and white flannel Lorelai was wearing.

"It was, but I stole it years ago. I tailored it to fit me." Lorelai smiled. Luke just shook his head before adjusting Jacob on his hip and kissing Lorelai.

"I appreciate the gesture, but you do realize how nuts this looks, right?" Luke asked as everyone smiled.

"Which is exactly why we did it." Patrick smiled as he took Jacob back from his Dad. "We wanted to show our Dear Old Dad how much we love him. Don't people say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?"

"Then you should be pretty darn flattered." Lorelai joked as Luke rolled his eyes.

"In all seriousness though…" Patrick began as everyone listened. "We all love you a lot, Dad. This may be a little bit on the crazy side, but I guess we just inherited that from Mom." He laughed. "Anyways, I won't drone on and on. I just wanted to say that we love you and we want to wish you a very Happy Birthday."

"Thanks, Pat." Luke nodded before patting him on the back. "Thank you everyone. I appreciate all the craziness."

"You'll appreciate it for years to come. We're taking pictures!" Lorelai announced. "I hired a photographer who is currently setting up near the gazebo."

"Oh geez. That's exactly what Stars Hollow needs; The Danes family, clad in flannel, occupying the town square." Luke smirked.

"Seeing as The Danes Family makes up the majority of Stars Hollow's population…I don't think they'll mind." Will joked. "And even if they do mind, I think I have some pull with the higher ups."

The family quickly migrated across the street and over to the gazebo where a photographer was waiting. They stood on the steps and in front of the gazebo as pictures were taken before splitting into smaller groups.

"Ok, time for one with all the grandkids" Lorelai announced and took Jacob by the hand, slowly leading him to the gazebo steps before sitting down and pulling him onto her lap. Jenny gave Evie to Luke after he sat down next to Lorelai.

"Ben, Catie, get over here." Luke said and waved them over.

"Bring Nate too" Lorelai insisted. "We definitely need at least one with the grandkids and great-grandkid."

Catherine carefully set Nate in Luke's free arm before she and Ben sat down next to their Grandparents. Luke shifted the babies in each arm before Lorelai leaned against him and tickled Jacob. "We're pretty lucky to have such awesome grandkids."

"We are." Luke nodded and smiled as the photographer took a few pictures. "You're getting your wish."

"I am and I love it."

"If you would have waited a few months you could have had another one in that picture." Sam said before Luke and Lorelai looked at him in surprise.

"Surprise! We're having another baby." Jenny said and wrapped her arm around Sam's waist. It was almost obvious now that she started showing a little, but she and Sam wanted to enjoy the news on their own before sharing with everyone else. Catherine had done a very good job keeping it quiet by the shocked looks on everyone's faces.

"Congratulations!" Rory exclaimed before hugging them both quickly.

"Yay! That's so exciting." Lorelai shrieked before standing up, tossing Jacob into Ben's lap, and running to give Sam and Jenny hugs.

"Sorry, kid. You're old news." Ben joked as Jacob looked up and frowned. "Don't frown at me. I'm older news than you are."

"Don't worry, you guys aren't old news." Luke grunted. "She's just excited."

"And you aren't? You're going to be a Grandpa again and we're going to have another little cousin."

"I'm very excited." Luke clarified. "I just can't jump up and dump these little babies."

"I'll take them." Catherine agreed and took Nate before Luke slowly handed Evie over.

"Thanks." Luke nodded and quickly got up to go congratulate his son and daughter-in-law. He smirked as he patted Sam on the back and asked, "Another one already?"

"Yeah, well…" Sam shrugged and blushed slightly.

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?" Lorelai asked as she bounced up and down next to Jenny.

"Not yet, we have a couple more weeks before we'll know." Jenny said. "But I have a feeling."

"Really? What?" Lorelai asked.

"I think it's another girl." Jenny smiled.

"oohhh! Yay!" Lorelai squealed. "We need more girls. I want to buy lots of cute little dresses."

"What's wrong with boys?" Luke asked.

"Nothing." Lorelai clarified. "After raising five boys I'm just ready for more girls."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." Abby said while looking at Rory. "We must have been so much more fun than stinky boys."

"We weren't that bad." Sam insisted. "Maybe a little smelly, but we can't help it."

"You're pretty good with the hygiene now." Jenny joked. "Now that we have Evie you have to admit that little girls are pretty great."

"Oh absolutely." Sam nodded. "You know how much I love that little girl."

"I do." Jenny agreed and passionately kissed Sam.

"Ok, ok." Will finally said. "We all know how babies are made; you don't need to show us."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty good at it." Sam said seriously, causing everyone to laugh in surprise at Sam's forwardness.

"Ok, this conversation is going downhill. Let's finish up the pictures and then head back to our place for some food." Lorelai said.

Everyone agreed and took turns posing in front of the camera as Lorelai dictated who should be in what picture. When Lorelai was confident the photographer had captured every combination of family members, she thanked him and moved the family back to the house.

Later that night, after much celebrating and a lot of cleaning up, Lorelai slowly slid into bed next to Luke. "Well, what did you think Birthday Boy? Was it a good day?"

"Really good." Luke nodded and kissed her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"There was just one thing though."

"What?"

Luke sighed and hesitated for a moment. "Adam wasn't here."

"I know." Lorelai also sighed. "It would have been really nice for him to come, but he didn't. I called him and tried to get him to come, but you know how stubborn he can be."

"Do you think I should go visit him? Not to yell at him or anything, just to see him and maybe talk a little."

"I doubt that would go over well, Luke. Adam just isn't ready to talk yet."

"I wish he'd let me in."

"Me too. I miss him a lot."

"I need to figure out a way to fix this mess I've created." Luke said as Lorelai curled up against him.

"We'll figure it out." Lorelai sighed.

"I hope you're right." Luke sighed.

**The End **

**(Well, not really. There will be an epilogue.)**


	56. Chapter 56

**AN: Hello! Well, here it is; the much anticipated epilogue and finale to Coffee and Regrets. Yes, it's really long. There was a lot that I needed to address before I felt like this story was complete. I hope you're happy with how I ended this. **

**Epilogue**

Lorelai sat at a table near the window of the diner sipping coffee with Rory. It had become their Thursday afternoon ritual to meet for coffee at the diner when Rory finished her morning classes. Rory had finished her PhD in Seattle last year and had since landed a job as a Literature Professor at Yale. She and Joel were now full time residents of Stars Hollow. Joel had resigned his position at the hotel in Seattle and took a position with The Danes Group after he and Rory made a significant investment in the company. The Danes Group was doing extremely well and growing at a fast pace which made Lorelai and Luke incredibly proud.

"How were your classes today?" Lorelai asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Pretty good. It was a nice day, so my students were a little distracted between that and thinking about their weekend plans. They have a test on Monday, so I hope they don't get too distracted."

"Well, Dr. Alexander, I'm sure you told them how important it is to study." Lorelai smiled.

"I did." Rory nodded. "Speaking of weekend plans, do you have any?"

"Not really. Family dinner tomorrow night and Grandkids sleep over. What about you?"

"Joel and I were thinking of going to Boston for a quick weekend getaway, but we haven't decided yet."

"That sounds nice. Looks like you'll have good weather." Lorelai noted and looked out the window. Her eyes scanned the activity in the town square, but stopped when she noticed a young man standing near the gazebo. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized who it was. "Adam" Lorelai whispered and quickly left the diner and Rory. Lorelai quickly crossed over to the square and stopped about ten feet from where Adam stood. "Adam?" She said and he slowly turned around to face her.

"Mom." He said and looked at her. It had been five years since they had seen each other. Adam looked older and more mature, but Lorelai looked the same. Before either of them could say anything else, three little boys ran up to Adam and grabbed onto his legs. Adam smiled and held their hands before looking back at Lorelai. "Boys, this is your Grandma Lorelai. You remember how we talk about her sometimes?" He asked and they nodded. "Mom, these are my boys. This is Daniel." He said and pulled the oldest boy forward.

"Hi" Daniel said confidently. "I'm five!" He said and held up his hand to indicate his age with his fingers.

Lorelai smiled at the little boy who looked and acted so much like Adam. It seemed like so long ago when she'd first met and held him. "Hi" Lorelai managed to choke out as Adam pushed another boy forward.

"This is Graham."

"Hi" Graham said and looked up at Lorelai. She was amazed to see that she and Graham had the same bright blue eyes and dark hair.

"Hi" Lorelai said with a teary smile before looking back at Adam.

"This little guy is Cole." Adam smiled as Lorelai bent down to say hello to the boy. He quickly ducked behind Adam's legs and held on tightly. "Hey, it's ok buddy." Adam chuckled before pulling him into his arms as Lorelai stood back up. "Sorry, he's a little shy sometimes."

"Adam, they're so…" Lorelai choked out before tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Don't be sad Grandma." Daniel quickly comforted her and hugged her leg.

"Thanks Daniel." Lorelai said as she wiped her tears and hugged him back. "I'm so happy you're all here."

"I need to talk to you about that." Adam said hesitantly. "Can we go somewhere more private?"

"Yeah, let's go home." Lorelai said and led the way.

A few minutes later, Adam and Lorelai stood in the living room staring at each other. Lorelai found some toys for the boys to play with upstairs in Adam's old room. Lorelai took a deep breath before quickly pulling Adam into a tight hug.

"I missed you so much." Lorelai said after she released her grip on him.

"Me too Mom." Adam said. "Can we sit?" He asked and motioned to the couch before they both sat down. "Look, uh, things aren't really going so well now. Megan left me." He blurted out. "Our marriage wasn't exactly built on a good foundation, but it never got a whole lot better, even after Daniel and Graham were born. I really tried to make it work, honestly I did. We foolishly thought that having Cole would bring us closer together, but it didn't. Daniel and Graham have some health issues since they were born so early. They're ok, but they have to eat a special diet of food or they tend to get sick more often. It's been really hard for Megan and I to deal with. We have to really watch what they eat when they're home and at school. They see a doctor a lot. Daniel has some behavior problems that we're trying to work on, but it's hard when we're so busy just keeping the family going. Cole is fine, but it's really hard to give him the attention he deserves when we've got so much going on with the twins. Megan said she never really wanted this life for herself and she just didn't want to do it anymore. She didn't want to be tied down, so she filed for a divorce and took off." Adam explained and took a deep breath. "That was six months ago. The divorce is final now and I've been trying to take care of the boys on my own. Megan's parents are really embarrassed about the whole thing and offered to let us continue to stay with them. I appreciated the offer, but I'd rather go out on my own. They helped us long enough. I got a job and an apartment, but I can't make enough money to pay for all our bills and day care for the boys. I just can't make it work and I don't know what else to do right now, but come home and beg for help. I know I don't deserve it."

"Adam, I'm sorry." Lorelai said. "We'll help with anything you need. You can stay with us and find a job nearby. I've always said that I'd be glad to help with anything you need; time hasn't changed that."

"Thanks Mom, but are you sure that's going to be ok? I mean, there has been a lot of distance and I haven't exactly been very considerate of your feelings."

"All I care about is that you're here now." Lorelai assured hm.

Adam stood up from the couch and began to pace the room slowly. "Mom, I'm so sorry about leaving. I hurt you and I'm so sorry." Adam said quietly. Lorelai answered him with a firm hug before a few tears escapes both of their eyes.

"It's alright Adam." Lorelai said as they pulled apart. "I think you've gotten taller." She noticed while looking up into his eyes. She was amazed at how grown up he looked.

"Maybe a little." Adam shrugged. "Hey, uh, is Dad around?"

"Yeah, he's taking the morning shift at the diner. He should be home any time now. Dad just works the mornings that Jonathan takes Zack to school."

"Who's Zack?" Adam frowned.

"Jonathan's step-son." Lorelai informed him. "Jonathan's wife, Darcy, has a son from a previous relationship. Jonathan and Darcy just got married a couple months ago. Zack is five and goes to kindergarten, so Jonathan takes him a few days a week so Darcy can get to work early."

"Wow, I guess a lot has changed since I've been gone."

"You have no idea." Lorelai agreed.

"I'm home!" Luke called as he entered the house through the front door.

"In the living room!" Lorelai responded.

Luke stopped and immediately clenched his jaw when he saw Adam standing in the living room. Before either of them could say anything, Luke crossed the room in a few strides and hugged Adam tightly. Luke held him for a few minutes before clapping him on the back and stepping away. He looked at Adam before saying, "Welcome home, Son."

"Thanks, Dad." Adam said. "Dad, I…"

"Adam" Luke stopped him. "Let's talk about that later. I'm just really happy you're here."

"Thanks. It's really good to see you." Adam nodded. "Do you want to meet my boys?"

"The boys are here?"

"Yup" Adam smiled. "They're upstairs playing. Do you want to meet them?"

"Absolutely." Luke nodded and followed Adam up the stairs.

"Hey guys?" Adam asked his Sons as he entered the room they were playing in. They all looked up at their father and frowned as they noticed a stranger standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. "Guys, I want you to meet someone." Adam said and sat down on the floor next to his Sons. He motioned for Luke to join them, which he did, hesitantly. "Guys, this is your Grandpa Luke. You remember the stories I told you about him?"

They all nodded and looked at Luke for a minute until Luke said, "Hi boys." He was caught off guard by the fact that Adam had a third Son.

"Hi Grandpa Luke." Daniel said quickly and reached out to shake Luke's hand. Luke shook his hand and smirked before Daniel continued. "I'm Daniel and I'm five. That's Graham and he's five too. We're twins. That's Cole and he's three." Daniel said and pointed to his brothers.

"Hi, Daniel. Hi, Graham. Hi, Cole." Luke smiled. "Are you guys hungry? Did you have lunch yet?"

"We had an early lunch, but we could eat again." Adam answered for everyone.

"Ok, well we can go downstairs and I'll cook something." Luke said and stood up before Cole attached himself to his leg. Luke smiled and picked Cole up before hugging him. He held the small boy before walking downstairs with everyone and going into the kitchen. Lorelai soon joined them and struck up a very fast paced conversation with Daniel. Graham sat on a barstool, leaning over the counter, resting his upper body on his elbows, as he watched Luke begin to cook.

"What do you guys like?" Luke asked as he looked in the refrigerator.

"Daniel and Graham are on a Gluten free diet. Other than that, we're not picky." Adam said and went to help his Dad.

Luke smiled when he saw little Graham intently watching the scene. He couldn't help but notice that Graham had the same blue eyes at Lorelai. "Hey Graham, you want to help cook?"

Graham looked between Luke and his Dad before nodding and climbing off the barstool and joining the men in the kitchen. They all worked together and quickly had a suitable lunch on the table for everyone.

XXXXX

"So, do you have bags in a car or something?" Luke asked Adam as they worked on cleaning up the kitchen. As soon as everyone had finished lunch, Lorelai had led the boys upstairs to see what sort of trouble they could get into.

"No bags, but I have some boxes in the back of my truck."

"I'll help you carry them in." Luke offered.

"Dad, you don't have to. I can find a place for me and the boys to stay."

"No, you'll stay here with your Mother and I." Luke insisted. "It's been pretty quiet around here since all you kids moved out. We usually have all the Grandkids over Friday night for a movie marathon and sleep over. Gives their parents a break and us some quality time together."

"Sounds nice." Adam nodded. "I parked my truck up the street. We could just grab the boxes of clothes and leave the rest."

"How about you go get the truck and park it in the driveway. We'll unload everything into the garage and bring the clothes into the house. We can sort the rest out tomorrow."

XXXXX

About an hour later, Luke and Adam finished unloading everything out of Adam's truck and into the garage without saying a word to each other. Luke finally broke the ice as they shifted a couple of the boxes.

"Nice truck."

"Thanks. I got it a couple years ago. It's used, but runs good." Adam shrugged.

"Good." Luke nodded. He crossed his arms and looked down at the floor as he gathered his thoughts. "Adam, look, I think there is some stuff we should talk about."

"Yeah, there is." Adam agreed. "I need to apologize to you, Dad. I shouldn't have been so stubborn and stayed away for so long."

"I shouldn't have pushed you away." Luke said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you or treated you so terribly. I'm really sorry. I love you, Adam."

"I love you too, Dad." Adam said before they briefly hugged each other. "You know, you have Daniel, Graham, and Cole to thank for all of this."

"Really? How?"

"Well, even though Daniel and Graham were a big shock, they made me grow up and be responsible. I finally understood how much you loved me and how much our separation must have hurt you. If one of my boys and I fought like that I'd be so hurt and sad. I guess being a Dad just gave me a new perspective and made me realize how stupid this all is."

"Adam, it's my fault too. I said things I didn't mean and acted like an ass. You didn't deserve any of that." Luke said honestly. "I know it sounds really lame, but I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it all back."

"Me too." Adam agreed. "I can't say that everything that happened in the past is erased, but I feel confident in our ability to move forward. I want you to be involved in Daniel, Graham, and Cole's lives."

"I want that too."

"Good because I'm going to need a lot of help with them."

"So, uh, your Mom mentioned something happened between you and your wife, but she didn't really say much. What happened exactly?"

"It's a long story." Adam sighed. "I screwed it up."

"Screwed what up?"

"My marriage. I was a crappy husband."

"What? No. I'm sure you weren't. You're a good guy, Adam. You care a lot about people and are pretty good at sharing your feelings."

"Not with Megan." Adam sighed and leaned up against Luke's work bench. "I was never very good at sharing my thoughts and feelings with her. I just kept everything inside until I blew up. After the twins were a year old we knew something had to change or we wouldn't make it. We had this idea that if we could start over that everything would be ok. So, we thought a great fresh start would be to have another baby. Maybe if we planned it the experience would be different and we'd be a close family."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on a baby." Luke sighed.

"It was stupid." Adam shook his head before looking up in realization of what he just said. "Not that I regret having Cole in any way. He's amazing and I love him so much. It's just that I shouldn't have expected him to fix everything between me and Megan. I should have spent more time working on our marriage and actually communicating with her. Getting upset and blowing up just made things worse."

"Blowing up? What do you mean? You're not saying what I think you're saying. Right?" Luke questioned and frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You're eluding to the fact that you and Megan fought a lot. It didn't elevate and get…violent, did it?"

"What? No. Never. I never laid a hand on Megan or the boys. Never. I'd never hurt them." Adam insisted. "Megan and I yelled at each other sometimes, but it was never more than that."

"Ok" Luke said and backed off.

"Sorry" Adam sighed. "It's just that the whole thing fell apart and I'm still struggling with what to do. Megan left and filed for divorce, leaving me with the boys. I don't know where she is or if she's ever going to come back."

"That's too bad." Luke nodded. "I know it's hard to think of now, but you're going to do great, Adam. You're a tough guy and I know you're more than capable of raising your boys. Your Mom and I will be more than happy to help, if you want."

"Thanks, Dad. That's actually why I came home." Adam admitted. "I just can't seem to manage the boys and everything else on my own. I don't have enough time or enough money. I want to be independent and do it on my own, but I can't. I need help."

Luke nodded and slapped Adam on the back. "We're here for anything you need. You don't need to be ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help. Everyone needs a hand. Your Mom and I help out with all the Grandkids. We love having them around and helping you kids out. Adam, you are not a failure. You have three little boys that prove just how successful you really are. Those boys look at you like you're their hero. That's far from failure."

"Thanks, Dad. I really appreciate it. I want to do what's best for the boys. They shouldn't suffer because of how their Mother and I acted. They deserve the best."

"They do." Luke agreed. "That's how I feel about you and your brothers and sisters. I've always wanted the best for you, even though you probably didn't always feel that way. I'm sorry that I was insensitive toward you. I know you're not like your brothers, but that's one of the great things about you, Adam. You see the world differently and you express yourself differently; that's a good thing. I can be an ass sometimes, so I really want to apologize for how I've treated you. I understand that not everything is just going to be forgotten, but I hope that we can build a good relationship going forward."

"I forgive you, Dad." Adam nodded and bit his lower lip. "We're certainly different, but we have some things in common. I'm sorry I was so bull headed and shut you out over the past few years. I was stupid for doing that." Adam said and clenched his jaw in an attempt to keep his emotions under control. "Let's start over and work on our relationship."

"Ok" Luke nodded as Adam shuffled his feet and looked at the ground. "Hug it out?" Luke asked and raised an eyebrow before engulfing Adam in a bear hug. "I love you, Adam."

"Love you too, Dad."

"It's going to be ok, Son. Everything will work out." Luke assured him.

XXXXX

Later in the afternoon, Adam had gone to the Dragonfly to talk to Patrick. Lorelai had watched the boys until Adam had returned. Lorelai was very curious about their conversation and held Adam hostage in the kitchen until he told her everything. She then went to the Dragonfly to talk to Patrick about it.

"I talked to Adam." Lorelai smiled as she walked into the office of the Dragonfly.

"Oh yeah?" Patrick said and looked up from what he was working on.

"Yeah, he told me what you did for him. I really appreciate it." Lorelai smiled.

"It's no big deal." Patrick insisted.

"Yes it is." Lorelai nodded. "You offered him a job."

"I need help. We're expanding and profits are way up, so we can totally afford it."

"It's more than just the job, Patrick. You gave him a fresh start." Lorelai smiled.

"He has three kids. He needs to figure out what he's going to do to take care of them."

"He knows that." Lorelai agreed. "He told me that the job is only part time, but you're paying him a full time wage. Adam also said that the offer is contingent on him going back to school."

"It's absolutely contingent on the school thing. I'd like to hire a new vice president of development and business strategy, but that person has to have a lot of experience or a college degree. It would be really good if Adam could work his way into that role, but he needs to get the education to fill in the gaps. The only thing I really left up to him is how to get help with his boys. I don't think Martha and I have a ton of time to offer, but we could probably help out once in a while."

"I told Adam that I'd help and Rory offered to help too. I think between all of us, we can make it work. We'll have to make a schedule, but it's doable." Lorelai explained. "Thanks for helping your brother, Patrick."

"That's what a family does." Patrick nodded.

XXXXX

Luke and Adam had just finished unpacking all the boys' clothes when they came running into the room.

"Grandma said we can watch a movie!" Daniel exclaimed. "She even said we could watch it in our PJs!"

"Ok" Adam nodded. "I just put them away. Do you guys want some help?" He asked while pulling a pair of PJs out of the drawer for each boy.

"I can do it myself." Graham insisted.

"Ok, I'll leave you guys to it then." Adam nodded as the boys began to change.

"Put your PJs on too, Daddy." Cole said.

Adam smirked before nodding. "I guess I could do that. My clothes are in the guest room, so I'll change in there. Meet down in the living room?"

"Ok!" They all agreed in unison.

Luke followed Adam out the room before clapping him on the back. "They're pretty cute little guys."

"Yeah, I think I'll keep them." Adam joked. "I've been ordered to change into pajamas, so I guess I should go do that."

"See you down stairs." Luke nodded and walked away.

Adam quickly changed in a pair of sweatpants and Henley shirt before finding a spot on the couch downstairs. Lorelai had selected several movies, including one about trains, and sat down in an oversized armchair with Luke.

"What are those guys doing up there?" Adam wondered before the boys came barreling down the stairs. They spotted Adam on the couch and immediately ran over to him before dog pilling on him. "oomph" Adam mumbled as he got an accidental knee to the stomach. "What is this? Hop on Pop?" He laughed.

"Yup" Daniel smiled.

"I'm not reading you guys that book anymore." Adam joked as the boys snuggled up to him.

Lorelai smiled at the scene and couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky that she was going to get to know them. Adam was back and now her family was complete again. She and Luke were practically covered in Grandchildren, just like she'd wanted. Luke didn't jump up and down like Lorelai did, but she could tell that he absolutely loved being a Grandfather. Lorelai was startled out of her thoughts when Cole placed his little hand on her leg.

"You want to sit here with me and Grandpa?" Lorelai asked before the little boy nodded and climbed into her lap. "Hey, what move are we going to watch?" She asked.

Daniel and Graham jumped up to select the movie as Adam helped them. Once an acceptable movie had been chosen, they all settled back onto the couch to enjoy it. Cole quickly fell asleep as Lorelai held him.

Later, after all the boys were tucked into bed upstairs, Adam, Luke and Lorelai sat in the living room watching TV. Before long, Adam was slumped down in his chair snoring.

"Has he always snored?" Lorelai asked as she looked at Adam and frowned. "I don't remember him doing that before."

"I don't either." Luke agreed.

"It's kind of loud." Lorelai stated. "We are either going to have to get him to sleep upstairs or turn the TV up."

"I hate to wake him up." Luke sighed as Adam coughed and then woke up.

"Was I snoring?" Adam asked and rubbed his face.

"Yes" Lorelai said.

"Sorry."

"Why don't you go upstairs and sleep? You could probably use a good night's rest. Go ahead and sleep in; we can watch the boys in the morning if they get up before you." Luke offered.

"Ok, thanks." Adam nodded before getting up and going upstairs.

"He seems exhausted." Luke noted.

"He's had a lot going on." Lorelai said.

"Adam will be ok." Luke assured her. "The boys will be too. It's going to take a little time, but they'll all be ok."

"I'm really happy they're here." Lorelai smiled. "Daniel, Graham, and Cole are so stinkin' adorable."

"They are." Luke agreed. "Adam's got his hands full though. Those boys definitely take after him."

"The Danes blood is pretty strong in them."

"I think there is some Gilmore blood there too."

"It's it pretty well blended by now?" Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah" Luke smirked.

XXXXX

Luke had gone to sleep and Lorelai was still in the living room watching TV when she heard the sound of little feet running down the stairs before suddenly stopping at the living room entrance. Lorelai leaned forward to see what was going on and found Graham standing there with wide eyes and a few tears on his cheeks.

"Where's my Daddy? He was here when I went to sleep." The little boy said with a tremble in his voice.

"He's sleeping upstairs in the guest room." Lorelai assured him. "Are you ok? You want to come here and talk about it?"

Graham slowly shuffled over to the couch before Lorelai wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her lap. "What's wrong?" She whispered.

"I had that bad dream again." Graham admitted.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No"

"It might make you feel better if you tell me about it."

"It was the dream where Mommy leaves." Graham whispered. "She yelled at Daddy and then left. Is Daddy still here? Where did he go?" He asked nervously.

"He's upstairs sleeping, I promise. We can go up and look if you want." Lorelai assured him. "Graham, I know you don't know me all that well, but I want you to know that I'm always going to be here for you. I'm not going anywhere; you can count on that. I don't know what happened with your Mommy, but I know your Daddy loves you very much."

"But why did she leave? Did I do something bad?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong and neither did your brothers." Lorelai quickly assured him and hugged him tightly.

"Grandma, you're squishing me." He protested.

"Sorry, it's just cause I love you." She smiled. "Would you feel better if we went upstairs and found your Daddy?"

Graham nodded quickly and soon held Lorelai's hand tightly as they walked up the stairs and to the guest bedroom. Lorelai opened the bedroom door and began to walk over to the bed before Graham bolted to the bed. He quickly climbed up and snuggled against Adam.

"hhmm?" Adam mumbled before opening his eyes and looking at Graham. "Hey Graham cracker, what's up?"

"He had a bad dream." Lorelai answered.

"The same one you had the other night?" Adam asked as Graham nodded. "It's ok buddy, I'm here. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He assured his Son before hugging him tightly. "You want to sleep here with me tonight?"

Graham nodded and put his little face on Adam's chest before closing his eyes.

"Thanks, Mom." Adam said to Lorelai as she turned off the lights and left the room.

XXXXX

Friday morning came and Luke woke up early to prepare a big breakfast for the family. Adam slept in a little while Lorelai entertained the boys. After they had all eaten, the hung out in the kitchen and waited for other family members to drop in. It had become somewhat of a ritual for the kids to randomly drop in around breakfast time before they headed off to work. They didn't all come every day, but managed to stop by at least once a week. Adam was a little nervous about how all of his siblings would react to his homecoming, but Lorelai assured him they would all be happy.

"Adam?" Abby gasped as she walked into the kitchen and saw her brother for the first time since he'd been home. "Adam!" She exclaimed before throwing her arms around him.

"Abby" He smiled. His eyes widened as she pulled away and he realized she looked like she was nine months pregnant. "Wow…you're…very…pregnant."

"Ugh, yes, any day now." Abby smiled and rubbed her belly. A little girl suddenly appeared at her side and smiled at Adam.

"Hi! Who are you?" She asked.

"This is your Uncle Adam." Abby clarified.

"Hi Uncle Adam, I'm Lorelai." The little girl smiled. "That's my little brother." She said proudly and pointed to Abby's belly. "His name is going to be Lucas David Schwartz."

"Really? Luke and Lorelai?" Adam smirked at Abby.

"Seemed fitting." Abby shrugged.

"Seems crazy" Luke grunted as he walked passed his children. "Hi little Lorelai" He smiled before picking up his Granddaughter. "Would you like your usual for breakfast?"

"Yes please. And a cup of coffee." She smiled.

"I don't think so." Luke smirked and touched her nose with his finger. "Lolli has been teaching you bad things."

"Lolli?" Adam asked Abby.

"Grandma Lorelai." Abby clarified. "She couldn't say 'Lorelai' for a while, so she just said 'Lolli' and the nickname stuck."

"Interesting" Adam said. "So, who's the lucky guy?"

"David." Abby smiled and looked at her wedding ring. "We've been married four years."

"So, just after I left?"

"About a year later." Abby clarified. "We had many long talks that summer and decided that we didn't want to wait anymore and got married. We got a little surprise package about a year later. It was hard having a baby and finishing college, but we did it. Adam's Dad and Step-Mom helped out a lot and we moved out here after Graduation. David and I both got teaching jobs at Stars Hollow Elementary; David's teaching fifth grade and I did fourth. I've taken the current school year off so I can focus on Lorelai and prepare for Lucas' arrival. David's Mom moved here about a year ago and has been working for The Danes Group managing the Litchfield hotel and helping us during her time off. I've been coming over during the day so Dad and Mom can help wrangle little Lorelai. It's hard to chase after a three year old when you're almost nine months pregnant. The response time is a little slow."

"You've got your hands full." Adam agreed. "I've got three little guys, so I know how crazy it can get."

"Three?"

"Yeah, Daniel and Graham are five and Cole is three."

"It's hard to believe you're a Dad of three little boys." Abby smiled.

Lorelai entered the kitchen with Cole in her arms and Daniel and Graham following closely behind her. "Hi sweets" Lorelai smiled and kissed Abby's cheek. "Feeling ok today?"

"Hi, I'm good, just feeling very huge." Abby smiled. "Are these your little guys?" She asked while looking at the boys.

"Yeah." Adam smiled before kneeling down to Daniel and Graham's level. "Daniel, Graham, this is your Aunt Abby. She's my twin sister, remember? Just like you guys are twins, we're twins."

"Hi guys" Abby smiled as Adam stood back up. "You told them about me?"

"I told them about everyone. I wanted them to know who their family is." Adam shrugged before smiling at Cole and brushing his hair away from his face. "This is Cole."

"Hi, Cole." Abby smiled. "My daughter, your cousin is three also. Her name is Lorelai. Maybe you two will be good friends like your Dad and I are."

Cole turned and buried his face in Lorelai's shoulder as she adjusted him on her hip. "He's a little shy." Lorelai smiled before planting a kiss on his head.

"Little Lorelai might be a bit overwhelming to him." Abby noted.

"Or she'll bring him out of his shell." Adam shrugged. "I'm sure they'll be inseparable in a matter of hours."

A few minutes later, Will walked into the house and quickly headed for the kitchen when he heard laughter. He was wearing a suit and tie and holding his six month old Son in one arm and a diaper bag in the other.

"Hey, what's going on?" Will asked as he entered the kitchen. He stopped for a second when he saw Adam.

"Will, hey." Adam smiled and walked over to shake Will's hand. "Still borrowing kids to boost your political career?" He joked while looking at the baby in his brother's arm.

"I'm not borrowing kids. He's mine." Will answered. "This is my Son, Jack."

"Really? You have a kid?" Adam said and raised an eyebrow. "Hi, Jack." He smiled at the baby. "So, are you married then?"

"Yeah, Melissa and I got married about three years ago."

"You finally sealed the deal." Adam smirked.

"Yeah" Will laughed. "It took some convincing, but I won her over eventually. We're really happy and love little Jack like crazy." He smiled and kissed Jack's head.

"Good for you." Adam nodded. "What's up with the suit? You get some fancy job?"

"Mayor of Stars Hollow."

"Mayor? Really?"

"Yeah. After I was elected Selectman, I worked to reorganize the town government. It was tough, but we made it through the transition and things are looking really well. Stars Hollow is growing, so that's a good sign."

"Good work, Will. Sounds like you're doing well."

"Yeah, thanks Adam." Will nodded. "How are your boys?"

"Good. I've got three of them now." Adam smiled before pointing them out to Will.

"Three? Wow." Will said. "That sounds like a lot of work. I've got my hands full with Jack; I can hardly imagine adding any more to the mix."

XXXXX

Later that night the entire family gathered at Luke and Lorelai's for their weekly Friday night dinner. It was always a highlight for everyone, but this week was special since Adam was finally home.

Patrick and Martha arrived with their little ones in tow and quickly joined everyone in the living room. Jacob was six years old now and looked more and more like his father with each passing day. They also had a three year old, Natalie, and a six month old baby girl called Ava. Jacob adjusted well to being a big brother and was as protective of his little sisters as any Danes man was when it came to women in the family.

The living room was packed with children and grandchildren who all seemed to be enjoying each other's company and reuniting with Adam and his boys. Abby was practically attached to his hip as he made the rounds meeting new family members and reconnecting with everyone else.

Will sat on the floor with his back against the edge of the couch and his wife, Melissa, sitting on his lap. Their Son, Jack, was currently sleeping in a baby carrier next to them. Every so often Will would look at Jack and smile at Melissa as if he still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have such a wonderful family.

Sam and Jenny occupied the other end of the couch, watching as their children scurried around the room. Evie was almost six years old and very active. She was currently leading a game of hide and seek among her cousins. Sam and Jenny's next child, a daughter, Haley was five years old. They were followed by another girl, Charlotte, a year later and then a brother, Samuel Charles Danes Jr. Jenny had insisted that their little boy share a name with his Daddy and so little Sammy had been a welcome addition to the family. Now Jenny was about five months pregnant with their fifth child, another son: Andrew Charles. Once again, Jenny insisted on the name and that Andrew have the same middle name has his Dad and brother. Jenny had also said that this was going to be her and Sam's last child and made Sam get a vasectomy soon after she found out she was pregnant. While she loved their family, she thought it was big enough. Sam treasured his children and took special care to make sure they knew it. He was currently holding a sleeping Sammy in one arm and Jenny's hand in the other. Sam still worked at Home Depot and was now the store manager. Jenny had taken on the role of Chief Financial Officer for The Danes Group and was thriving in career.

Jonathan entered the room carrying a glass of water and sat down next to his wife on the floor. Jonathan had married Darcy Lewis a few months ago. She had a son, Zach, from a previous relationship. He was five years old when Darcy and Jonathan were married. To everyone's surprise, Jonathan really enjoyed fatherhood and loved Zach like his own. Jonathan took over the diner full time and seemed to love it. Luke felt confident in Jonathan's leadership and only worked once in a while when Jonathan needed a break.

Ben walked into the room carrying a fresh pot of coffee and quickly worked to refill coffee cups around the room. Ben had done really well for himself business wise. He'd graduated college and spent a few years working for a coffee company in Seattle. Finally, Patrick reached out and made Ben an offer he couldn't refuse. Ben moved to Stars Hollow and began his own coffee company under the umbrella of The Danes Group. He had his own roasting plant that supplied the hotels and the coffee shops they now owned. Ben was really proud of his product and even more proud of the fact that his Grandma Lorelai had dubbed it the world's best coffee. Ben was also doing very well in his personal life also. While he was working on buying a small chain of coffee shops in Hartford, he met the manager, Danielle, and instantly hit it off with her. She was just as passionate about the coffee business as he was and turned out to be a great business partner for Ben and the rest of the family. They dated for about a year before getting married two years ago. They bought a house in Stars Hollow and had just settled into small town life when they found out they were going to have twins. Michael Joel Alexander and Lucy Catherine Alexander were welcomed into the family several months later. The twins enjoyed lots of attention from their Grandparents and extended family. Rory and Joel were currently holding the babies and feeding them bottles.

Catherine soon swooped in and stole baby Lucy from Rory, prompting a protest and pout. Jeremy walked over and smiled as Catherine fawned over the baby. Catherine and Jeremy had decided to pursue a relationship again, but took things very slow. They went through a year of counseling; individually and as a couple. They dated and worked on getting to know each other again for several years before they got married again last summer. It was a small ceremony in Rory and Joel's backyard, but the occasion was a happy one. Joel and Rory were very reluctant at first, but Jeremy proved his reliability and gained their respect. Nate was a thriving five year old, especially now that his parents were back together and happy. Jeremy had taken over Dean's construction business, but still spent lots of time with Nate and Catherine. Catherine had gone back to Yale when Nate was a year old. She graduated with honors and was currently in the middle of law school. She and Jeremy had discussed having more children, but thought it was best to wait until she graduated and was somewhat settled in her career. Catherine and Jeremy recently bought a house, with Dean, Rory and Joel's help. It was a small Stars Hollow home, but allowed the family a fresh start.

After giving up on getting Lucy back from Catherine, Rory went into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee for herself and Lorelai.

Lorelai smiled as Rory handed her a cup of coffee. "This place is a zoo." Rory joked and looked around the room.

"A lovely, big, crazy blessing." Lorelai clarified.

"You happy?"

"Very." Lorelai smiled. "I've got it all. I had my middle and now we all have a happy ending."

"I wouldn't say it's an ending just yet." Rory smiled. "But a good post-middle."

"To a wonderful post-middle" Lorelai nodded and clinked coffee cups with Rory before look around the room at her family. "Our crazy, huge, wonderful post-middle."

XXXXX

**AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews! I've really enjoyed writing this story and loved sharing it with you. I've been asked to write a prequel to this story, which I'm going to do. It will be shorter than this story and mainly just give glimpses of what happened while Rory and Lorelai were apart. Please note that it will take some time to get that out. I need to do some work on my other published story, Luke's Surprise, first. I also have another 'what if' Rory story that is close to being published. So, the prequel to Coffee and Regrets will be out after those two items. **

**One again, a huge 'Thank You' to all of my readers!**


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